Becoming Beta
by crochetaway
Summary: Draco's summer after 5th year was off to a terrible start. Father was in Azkaban. Mother was barely holding it together. The Dark Lord and his Death Eaters were living in his house. Fenrir Greyback and his werewolf pack were living in his dungeons. The Dark Lord had given Draco a seemingly impossible task, and now he had to accept punishment on his father's behalf. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**1) This fic will get dark, assume the following triggers: smut, non-con, dub-con, graphic violence, torture, death. Please do not read if those things will squick you out. I will not be posting individual chapter warnings for chapters 11 and on.**

 **2) Disclaimer: I own nothing in the Harry Potter world, all bow down to the queen JK Rowling.**

* * *

Draco awoke with a start and a groan. He felt like he had been in a hippogriff stampede, everything in his body hurt. His head was pounding, and his mouth was dry and scratchy. What had happened? He wasn't sure he remembered. He knew the Dark Lord had called him to a meeting. Was that yesterday? Or the day before? He couldn't quite remember. Did he receive the Dark Mark? Draco wasn't sure if he even wanted the Dark Mark. With some trepidation, Draco raised his left sleeve, and was greeted by smooth pale skin. No Dark Mark in sight. Draco sighed in relief. At least he hadn't been tied to the Dark Lord yet.

Gathering his will, Draco heaved himself out of his large bed. He was in his bedroom at Malfoy Manor that was comforting at least. He wobbled as he stood up and noticed his hip and thigh were covered in dark, dried blood, and there was a large, dark stain in the center of his white sheets.

Maybe that explained some of his pain? What in the hell had happened to him? Draco moved stiffly toward his en suite bathroom. Once there, he stripped and looked in the mirror.

"Oh shite," he said aloud with some shock looking down at his hip.

On his right hip was a large, crescent shaped bite, still oozing blood. Draco could practically count the teeth marks the bite was so vivid.

"Shite, shite, shite!" Draco hobbled back into his room and headed for his bookshelves. He grabbed The Essential Defense Against the Dark Arts book from his third year at Hogwarts. He flipped quickly to page 394 to read about werewolves.

"A fresh werewolf bite will bleed for several days, most heavily the first day, and taper off as it heals. The bite will almost always be a crescent shape and turn silvery as it finishes healing. There is no known cure or treatment for a werewolf bite." The book fell listlessly from his fingers and landed with a thump on the floor.

 _Fucked, I am completely fucked_. Scenes from the last week started filing into place.

* * *

Draco walked into the drawing room at Malfoy Manor, his head high and his face a mask of well-bred imperiousness.

The Dark Lord was sitting at the head of a long table, his pet snake Nagini was slithering along the floor, winding herself around the chairs. The rest of the Dark Lord's inner circle was also present, including Aunt Bella, on the Dark Lord's right hand side. She was looking at Him with adoring eyes. The rest of the Death Eaters present were studiously avoiding the Dark Lord's gaze. Aunt Bella was the only Death Eater to escape capture from the debacle at the Department of Mysteries three weeks ago. Draco's father and the rest of the Death Eaters who battled Potter and friends were in Azkaban.

Draco bowed deeply to the Dark Lord, his blond fringe falling over his eyes, "What may I do for you, my Lord?" Draco straightened and smoothed his hair back from his face. He clasped his hands behind his back, ever the picture of pure-blood, well-bred elegance.

"Draco, my ssson," the Dark Lord hissed, "I am afraid you will be punished for your father'sss missstakesss. He hasss disssappointed me, deeply. I had warned him of the consssequencesss of hisss failure." The Dark Lord cast his red-eyed glare around his table of followers before landing heavily on Draco.

"Yes, my Lord. I will accept any punishment you see fit," Draco lowered his eyes. He really hoped it wouldn't be the Dark Mark. Draco loved both his parents, he would do anything to help ease his father's burden with the Dark Lord, but that didn't mean he wanted to serve the maniac. He had been hoping that due to his age he could get out of service entirely, but now it seemed that was unlikely. _Damn my father._

"Fetch Fenrir, Bella. He will help me punish your nephew."

 _Double fuck,_ Draco thought as Aunt Bella left the room. The Dark Lord summoning Greyback could mean nothing good. Maybe Greyback had a muggle for him to kill as a part of his Dark Mark ceremony? Not that Draco particularly wanted to kill a muggle. Aunt Bella had been trying to corner Draco into accepting Unforgivable lessons from her. His mother had been helping him dodge her efforts, but if that's why Greyback was being called, he may be in trouble if he couldn't manage the killing curse. Draco was thinking hard and almost missed the Dark Lord's next statement.

"I have a tasssk for you Draco, I want you to kill Dumbledore thisss year. You are a sssmart boy, I am sure you will be able to accomplish thisss in a timely manner. If you can manage thisss tasssk, you will have the honor of joining my ranksss next sssummer."

Draco was gob-smacked, he just barely managed to keep a stoic face. _How in the bleeding hell am I supposed to do that?!_

Aunt Bella and Greyback walked back into the room, Aunt Bella grinned maniacally, and gripped Greyback's wrist.

"My Lord, I have brought you the werewolf," Aunt Bella said breathlessly. Greyback scowled at the back of Aunt Bella's dark head and ripped his arm out of her grip.

Greyback was intimidating, he stood at almost two meters and was easily twenty stone. His black hair had fat dreadlocks brushing his shoulders. He had dark eyes with winged brows. And when he sneered you could see his pointed teeth. _He was very unkempt in his personal hygiene_ , Draco thought, he could smell Greyback from where he was standing six meters away.

"Excellent, thank you, Bella. Fenrir, you know the young Malfoy heir, do you not?" Aunt Bella skipped back to her seat at the Dark Lord's side, making puppy eyes at Him.

Greyback grunted his acknowledgment.

"Good, I want you to bite him on Tuesssday. That isss the next full moon, isss it not?"

Draco was shocked, of all the things he imagined the Dark Lord was going to punish him with, becoming a werewolf wasn't one of them. _Triple fucked._

"He isss sssmart, ssso Bella tellsss me. He could become your Beta."

Aunt Bella appeared shocked as well, "But, my Lord, are sure..."

The Dark Lord quelled Aunt Bella with a look, "Luciusss, my mossst ssslippery friend, mussst pay for hisss failuresss, what better way than to make hisss ssson live with the consssequencesss?"

The threat was very clear to Draco. Draco gulped, he did not want to become a werewolf, he did not want to be bitten by a werewolf, and he certainly did not want to go any closer to Greyback than he already was. _Better a werewolf than dead, Draco. Let's just figure out a way to survive and we'll deal with the implications later._ Thinking quickly he asked, "My Lord, I will accept this punishment gladly, however, how will you ensure that Greyback does not kill me?"

Greyback tossed a glare and a scowl at Draco.

"Excellent quessstion, Draco. Sssee Bella? Your nephew isss a man and can handle himssself. Ssseverusss, do you have the Wolfsssbane ready?" The Dark Lord leveled his red eyed gaze at the Potions Master of Hogwarts.

"Of course, my Lord. Greyback has taken a dose every day this week, I have watched him to ensure he takes it." Severus Snape looked from the Dark Lord to Draco. Snape's mask was too good, Draco couldn't see through it. Snape looked as blank as ever. _He's my godfather, how can he stand this?_

"The Wolfsssbane will ensure that Fenrir isss of sssound mind after hisss transssformation. Once he hasss bitten you, sssomeone will pull you to sssafety." The Dark Lord focused on Draco once more, tapping his long fingers against the table.

"Yes, my Lord." Draco did not want to be bitten by a werewolf. _Hold it together for a bit longer, then you can freak out._

Greyback didn't particularly look like he wanted to bite Draco, he sneered in Draco's direction.

"As you wish, my Lord" Greyback growled out.

* * *

Tuesday had arrived quicker than Draco could have imagined, he was dreading this day. He really did not want to be bitten by a werewolf and he did not want to become a werewolf, but he couldn't figure a way out of this mess. If he ran, his mother would be killed, and probably his father as well. He couldn't risk either of their lives, regardless of how stupid he thought his father was for getting involved with the Dark Lord to begin with. He hadn't even given any thought to the task the Dark Lord had assigned him. The looming threat of the werewolf bite was consuming him.

Draco spent the days leading up to Tuesday looking for anything he could find related to werewolves. He pulled all of his Defense Against the Dark Arts books to see if he could find anything more that he didn't already know. He didn't find anything. He had searched the Malfoy Manor library as well, but the library seemed to be lacking in any werewolf literature or books. What good was having a three story library if it didn't hold anything worth reading! He was frustrated that he couldn't find anything and he was angry that this was going to have to happen in the first place. He cursed his father for the thousandth time that week.

The day of the bite, Draco spent with his mother in her rooms. Pacing and worrying about what was to come that night. His mother tried to assure him that both of his parents would love him regardless of his status as a werewolf. Draco was pretty sure his mother would always love him, he wasn't as sure about his father. Ever since the Dark Lord came back, Lucius had been cold and demanding toward Draco. Gone was the father who was open and loving within the confines of the family home. Nobody would have described Lucius Malfoy as open and loving in public, but at home, he had always been a great father. Encouraging Draco to do better, but understanding his son's limits. Playing with his son in whatever game Draco had been interested in at the time. Tucking him in at night, reading him a bedtime story had always been Lucius' job. Draco's entire childhood had been spent looking up to his father.

Now that the Dark Lord was back, that man was gone. Draco didn't have the courage to ask his mother if this was what his father was like during the First Wizarding War, he was afraid of the answer. If this was his father in wartime, is this personality the fake one? Or was it the loving father Draco remembered from his childhood the fake? Draco didn't know, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. There was a good chance that his father wasn't going to survive this war, and if that happened, Draco would be the head of the Malfoy family. Something he knew he wasn't ready for. His father hadn't really started going through the family businesses and accounts with him. He was supposed to have started that this summer.

More worries for Draco. Head of the family, managing Malfoy business interests, upcoming werewolfness, killing Dumbledore, maybe becoming a Death Eater, starting his sixth year at Hogwarts. The list seemed impossible for Draco to manage. He continued pacing and fretting.

At moon rise, Snape knocked on the door to his mother's personal sitting room. He was there to escort Draco to the dungeons where Greyback had been locked up for his transformation. Snape looked severe, his dark hair swung forward as he bowed his head. He clasped Draco's shoulder in a show of support.

"I know this is difficult, Draco," Snape began, but Draco cut him off.

"I do not need your comfort. I am a man and will take my father's punishment like a man." Draco shrugged Snape's hand off of his shoulder. Draco heard his mother sigh behind him.

"I'll need your wand, Draco."

"What? Why?" Draco asked suspiciously. No good could come from not having his wand.

"You are about to be bit by a werewolf, on the Dark Lord's orders, you must not fight back. If I have your wand, you will not be able to injure one of the Dark Lord's favorite Death Eaters," Snape explained silkily. He managed to keep the annoyed tone out of his voice, which Draco appreciated. Had Draco been thinking clearly, he would have realized this. Draco turned back to his mother and handed her his wand. Snape might be his godfather, but he trusted his mother. Narcissa wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Be brave," she whispered.

Draco pushed past Snape and proceeded ahead of him toward the dungeons. Snape followed behind, matching Draco's pace.

Several hallways and staircases later, Draco and Snape were standing in front of a cell in the dungeons with a pacing werewolf in it. Greyback was a monstrous wolf, he had black shaggy fur and yellow eyes. Draco could hear each thump of one of Greyback's huge paws as he paced the dirt floor of the cell. Greyback was calmer than Draco thought he would be, _the Wolfsbane_ , his mind supplied. Draco had assumed he would be facing a wild and raging beast. This looked like a calm predator, you could see his intelligence in his piercing gaze. It certainly didn't make Draco feel any better, he was still terrified of being bit. Greyback howled making Draco flinch and take a step back, almost stepping into Snape. The Dark Lord turned a corner at the howl and stopped beside Snape, Draco looked at him over his shoulder.

"Draco, we will both be here to ensure that Fenrir doesss not lossse control. Asss sssoon asss he hasss finished biting you, we will ssstun him and pull you to sssafety."

Draco breathed deep, closed his eyes, and squared his shoulders to the cell, "I'm ready."

Snape unlocked the cell with a flick of his wand and shoved Draco inside before quickly slamming the cell door closed again and locking it. Greyback paced in front of Draco for a few moments. Draco's mind was completely blank, he was terrified, but held himself absolutely still knowing the Dark Lord was watching him carefully. Greyback howled again. Then he sniffed all around Draco like a dog would sniff a newcomer, circling him. Once Greyback was behind him the second time he reared back and pushed Draco to the dirt floor of the cell, surprising Draco. Draco flipped onto his back quickly and looked up at Greyback. Draco could see each of the werewolf's pointy yellowed teeth, saliva was dripping out of the corners of the beast's' mouth. Draco cringed back, bringing his hands in front of his face as if to ward the werewolf off. Then Greyback struck, he ripped Draco's robes, and bit him hard on the right hip. Draco threw his head back, arching his back he screamed. _Oh gods, oh gods, this fucking hurts!_ Then everything went black.

* * *

Draco shook his head, clearing it of the memories. He felt nauseous, as he stepped into the shower. Draco stood under the spray a long time, watching his blood mingle with the water and go down the drain. Once clean, he bandaged his seeping wound the best he could and dressed. Walking back into his bedroom he called for his personal house elf.

"Tink!"

Tink popped into view, her large ears folded over, "Master Draco, what can Tink do for you?"

"Change the bed, Tink, and food, I'm starving, bring a lot. When I'm finished eating I want to speak with my mother, is she available?"

"Tink will check, Master Draco."

Tink flicked her hand and the sheets and blankets from Draco's bed rolled into a ball and disappeared. With another flick, new sheets appeared and the bed made itself. Tink popped out and a few moments later popped back with a large tray of sausages, potatoes, and a glass of pumpkin juice. Tink deposited the tray on a small table near a settee in front of the fireplace in Draco's room.

"Mistress Narcissa is in her solar, Master Draco," Tink relayed to Draco before popping out again.

Draco wolfed the food down. He was hungrier than he thought. Even after eating, Draco's head still pounded. Grimacing Draco grabbed his robes and headed to the solar to find his mother and his wand.

Upon reaching the solar, Draco breathed deep and opened the door.

"Mother."

"Darling, how are you?" Narcissa asked. She had a tea cup and saucer in her hand and set them down on the small occasional table next to her. She stood and walked toward Draco, hugging him tightly. She slipped him his wand as she backed up and looked up at his face. Draco could see that she was holding back tears as she brushed his fringe from his eyes.

"How long have I been out? Has anything happened?" Draco was shaking with rage. He searched his mother's eyes looking for answers. Draco was so upset he didn't notice that his mother wasn't the only person in the room.

"Draco, nephew, are you angry with the Dark Lord?" Aunt Bella was sitting in a chair facing his mother's chair, she turned her head and looked at them both. His mother patted his shoulders and returned to her seat, waving him over to sit next to her. Narcissa looked wan and pale. She had been taking his father's imprisonment hard. And the extra, unexpected and difficult houseguests were not helping.

Draco turned to Aunt Bella and gave her a slight bow, then walked and sat next to his mother's chair facing the door and Aunt Bella. Aunt Bella was a tall woman with a crazed look in her eyes. She had spent over 10 years in Azkaban that was more than enough time to turn anyone mad. Her black hair was sprinkled with gray and had a wild unkempt look about it.

"Aunt Bella, of course I am not angry with the Dark Lord. He is right to punish me for father's mistakes. I apologize for sounding angry. The bite hurts more than I expected and is making me grouchy," Draco lowered his eyes and clenched the fist that Aunt Bella wouldn't be able to see. He was spitting mad over being turned into a filthy half-breed. _Stay calm, nothing good can come of getting angry in front of her._

Aunt Bella eyed Draco with some suspicion before nodding to him and picking up her teacup.

"The Dark Lord is creating a new kind of army, a werewolf army. Led by Greback, with you as Beta, if you can prove yourself to him," Aunt Bella sipped her tea. "Tell me, Draco, how does it feel to be a werewolf?"

"I haven't had much time to get used to it, truthfully," Draco gritted his teeth. He poured himself some tea and added a squeeze of lemon before taking a sip. "I am sure I will be able to prove myself to Greyback. I am eager to serve the Dark Lord."

Aunt Bella smiled at that and finished her tea.

"Lovely, Draco. Narcissa, we must speak again after dinner this evening." Aunt Bella stood up and swept from the room, banging the door closed.

Draco looked at his mother, she wouldn't meet his gaze. _Fuck, I need to be strong for her._

"Mother," Draco grasped his mother's hands, causing her to look at him. "It'll be alright, Mother. I'm angry, and it hurts, but it's not your fault. I'll do what needs to be done. I'm a Malfoy." His voice was hard and cold at that.

Narcissa put her hand on Draco's cheek, "I know, darling, I am sorry. I don't seem to have much influence in the Dark Lord's circle. Bella has been keeping me informed, but..."

"I know, Mother, I'll be our eyes and ears. I will try and figure a way out of this mess for all of us, Father included."

Narcissa looked down again, before smiling tremulously at her son. She patted his cheek and picked up her teacup. Draco didn't even think to mention the task the Dark Lord had given him. He could see that his mother was straining at the seams. She did not need another thing to worry about. Draco was a man, he knew it, the Dark Lord knew it, he would handle his task on his own.

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 **A/N: Freshly beta'd by the talented twztdwildcat!**


	2. Chapter 2

Fenrir stalked through the long, twisting hallways of Malfoy Manor looking for his newest pup. He should be up and about by now, Fenrir had bitten him two days ago. He had no idea how many other people he had bitten before the Malfoy boy. Hundreds probably. His intention had been to bite as many people as he could in order to take over the wizarding world. That goal was on hiatus now, though. Now, he was a Death Eater, he would follow the Dark Lord's objectives, as long as they aligned with his own.

The new army that the Dark Lord wanted to create was right up Fenrir's alley. Fenrir would be in charge of this new army and he would rule it with an iron fist. If he was good enough, he might be able to surpass the number of Death Eaters, and that's what he really wanted. Fenrir had grand plans for himself and his pack. He just had to find his new pup to get started.

Five days ago when that bitch, Bellatrix Lestrange, told him he was needed for part of an "inner circle" meeting, Fenrir had about hexed her. How the Dark Lord could put up with her, he had no idea. She had gone on and on about the "inner circle" this and the "inner circle" that. Like Fenrir cared about the gods-be-damned inner circle. He didn't want to be part of the inner circle, he had enough on his plate trying to get his pack in order. He didn't want a pack of new pups. His policy had changed, now he was contacting every lone wolf he'd bit in the last 30 years trying to convince them to become pack. There had to be intention with a werewolf bite, if you didn't intend for the recipient to be pack, then they wouldn't be. If Fenrir or the recipient wanted to become pack later on, Fenrir had to bite them again with the pack intention. Second time wasn't as bad of course, but still, took some convincing.

Over the last two days, while recovering from the full moon Fenrir had come to terms with who his newest pup would be. He hadn't any idea what the Dark Lord wanted when he called him into that meeting earlier in the week. It was just of a surprise to him as it seemed to be to the Malfoy kid. Fenrir did have to admit to being impressed with the way the pup had taken the news, yes he looked shocked, but he had recovered quickly. He took his "punishment" like a man. Fenrir chuckled to himself under his breath, being a werewolf was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Sure, as a kid he had felt plenty of resentment, it was the reason he went around and bit as many people as he could, he wanted everyone to have to go through what he did.

But then he'd gotten a pack and everything changed. It took him a few years to figure out what it was about having a pack that made being a werewolf better, but he finally did. It was the collective. It was subtle and took a while to find it and really tap into it, but the collective was the best part about being a werewolf. He almost felt sorry for all the lone wolves out there who didn't have access to the collective, but then he thought about Lupin and snarled. _Dumb sods, the lot of them._

Fenrir stopped and sniffed the air, turning slowly as different scents hit his nose, ah, there, that's it. Fenrir took off at a quicker pace and ended up on the ground level near the solar, his new pup was just leaving.

"Malfoy," Fenrir growled at him.

Malfoy turned around and looked at Fenrir, he couldn't hide his revulsion fast enough. Fenrir saw the look slip through before the pure-blood mask was back in place. _Fecking pure-blood ponce._

"Let's talk," Fenrir turned around and headed to the dungeons, there was a dueling court under the east wing. The Dark Lord had directed Fenrir to train his recruits there.

Fenrir didn't even bother to see if Malfoy was following him, he could hear him keeping pace. He hoped the pup would be strong enough to be Beta, Merlin knew the rest of the pack was singularly unqualified to be Beta. He couldn't believe the stupidity of his last Beta to get himself killed. He was just happy the Dark Lord had decided that losing his Beta was punishment enough. While Fenrir's goals aligned with the Dark Lord's at the moment, he didn't think he wanted to take anyone's punishment. Fenrir was a cold-hearted bastard, he knew this, the Dark Lord was a fucking terrifying psychopath. Fenrir was smart enough to know he didn't want to get on his bad side.

After passing through the dungeons Malfoy and Fenrir arrived at the dueling arena. Malfoy Manor was built on a hill, the dungeons were all underground, in the hill. The dueling arena was on the side of the hill, so while it was mostly underground, the east wall was made of windows, with a set of French doors in the middle of the wall. Outside the windows the lawn sloped downward until it met the river that ran through the Malfoy lands. The dueling court was a large open space, it used to have a small set of bleachers on either side of the center circle. Since Fenrir and his pack had taken over, the bleachers were gone. The dueling circle was still there, and when Fenrir and Malfoy had walked into the room, there were two men in the circle, fighting hand to hand. Around the outer edges of the circle there were several tents set up, other men were moving in and around the tents.

"This is the rest of the pack," Fenrir waved his hand around the court. "You'll be staying here, I'll show you to your tent." Fenrir started moving forward once again.

"What? No, I have a room upstairs..." Malfoy began, hurrying to catch up.

"Not anymore, you're pack now, you'll be staying with the pack." Fenrir tossed over his shoulder. "Don't make me get the Dark Lord involved, pup. You won't like it."

Fenrir walked to the furthest corner from the eastern wall, he stopped in front of a tent, "This one is yours, just had one of the Omega's set it up for you. The Dark Lord wants you to be Beta, you know what that means?"

"Not really, I looked through my Defense books…."

Fenrir laughed, "You can't learn about being a werewolf in a damn book, pup. Look, I know this isn't what you wanted, but this is your lot. The Dark Lord wants you to be Beta, so that's what we'll work on. There's no guarantee that you'll get to be Beta, someone could always challenge you for it. But Bellatrix assures me you are smart, that's what I need in a Beta. My tent is over there," Fenrir gestured to the right. Fenrir's tent was the largest of the lot. "Beta gets second best tent position in the pack. I'll call in my sire and have him start your lessons."

* * *

Fenrir walked into his tent and found his sire, Arnou Mingan, lounging in his favorite chair. He sighed heavily, Arnou refused to be pack, but he was so old, Fenrir couldn't bear to throw him out on his own. Fenrir might look, sound, and act fierce, but he had tremendous loyalty. Arnou hadn't meant to bite him as a kid, it had been an accident. It had taken Fenrir 30 years to come to terms with it, but now Arnou was one of his best advisers. Probably his best friend.

"Arnou, don't you have your own tent? I swear I had asked an Omega to set one up for you." Greyback walked to the small kitchen and grabbed a bottle of firewhisky off the shelf. He pulled out two glasses and looked at Mingan.

"None for me, pup." Fenrir let out a low growl. "You'll always be my pup, firs' and only pup I ever bit, you've had 30 years to get over it. So get over it."

Fenrir nodded and put one of the glasses back. He poured himself a firewhisky and knocked it back in one go. Then he poured himself another one and went to sit in the chair next to Arnou's.

"I jus' came by to see how your newest pup was settlin' in."

"I've just found him and brought him down. So we'll see. He took the bite like a man for the most part. He's got an awful girly scream, but I suspect that can't be helped. Bite hurts something fierce, I do remember that," Fenrir mock glared at Mingan. Mingan had bit Fenrir when Fenrir was eight. He had been out on a dare from one of his friends, he was supposed to trek through the woods between his cottage and his friend's and go back again. Mingan had been in Wales, it was his first change not in America and he hadn't been able to find lodging for the full moon. Fenrir had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, he might tease Mingan about it, but Fenrir knew how much regret Mingan had over biting him.

"I need you to give him the werewolf rundown, politics, etiquette, whole works. Didn't even know what a Beta was." Fenrir took a sip of his firewhisky and looked toward the door as a cheer went up from the middle of the room. _Fight must be over._

"Aye, I can do tha'. Yer Dark Lord still want him for Beta, then?" Mingan swished his wand and his cane jumped up off the floor and settled itself between his knees. Mingan put both hands on top of his cane in preparation to stand up.

"Yes, the Dark Lord and Bellatrix both think he's smart enough for Beta. Looks like a nancy, but he's got a spine of steel. He'll need quite a bit of trainin' up in order to become Beta though. You up for that?" Fenrir swallowed the rest of his firewhisky and banished his glass to the sink.

Mingan slowly pulled himself to his feet, nodding at Fenrir.

"I'll go find the kid and give 'im the low down," Mingan began his slow shuffle toward the tent flap.

"I want you to spend every morning with him. We've got a month before he's got to be back at Hogwarts. Damn, we need to figure out what to do with him for full moons at Hogwarts. I guess Snape can brew him Wolfsbane that should help him some, we'll still need a place for him to be during the transformation. Lupin went to Hogwarts, what did Dumbledore do for him, do you know?"

Mingan raised a bushy white eyebrow at Fenrir, "Now why would I know a thing like tha'?"

"Och, you're right Arnou, off with you, I'll see if any of the younger wolves know." Fenrir waved his hand at Mingan, dismissing him from his tent.

Fenrir ran a hand down his face ruminating his newest pup. He hoped the kid wouldn't be as bad as he feared he would be. Seemed like a damned spoiled brat to Fenrir, but hopefully he wouldn't cause any problems. Fenrir needed a Beta, _damn Raul for getting himself killed._ Since he didn't have a Beta, Fenrir would have to figure out what the plan was going to be when the pup went back to Hogwarts. Maybe he could owl Lupin? They hadn't spoken in a few years and Lupin had always had a pretty contentious relationship with him. Part of it had to do with Lupin being an Alpha in his own right, even if he didn't have a pack. The rest was the resentment between a sire and a pup. He did not want Dumbledore to know he'd turned the Malfoy kid into a Were, it would be better if it was kept as secret as possible. Snape might be better to contact than Lupin. He was at Hogwarts with Lupin, so he would know. Salazar knows Lupin probably wouldn't answer his damned owl. Snape it was then. Fenrir left his tent to head to the Malfoy Manor owlery.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat!**


	3. Chapter 3

Greyback walked into his tent, leaving Draco out on his own. _Sire?_ _What the hell?_ Draco looked around the room again, the two men who were fighting in the circle, were still going at it. Others were surreptitiously looking Draco's way, and the rest were staring openly at him. Draco's tent was situated closest to Greyback's, the rest of the tents in the room were arranged in a semi-circle around those two tents. It looked like the Quidditch World Cup camping grounds. Draco had no idea there were this many people living down there, he counted 15 men that he could see.

When Greyback and Draco entered the dueling arena, Draco was surprised to see it changed from last summer, the last time he was down here and before the Dark Lord and his followers had taken up residence at the Manor. Draco turned back around and ducked into his tent, thankfully, it was a standard wizarding tent, with all the amenities. If he had to camp in his own house, at least he had a toilet.

The first thing he did after he scoped out his tent situation was throw up a silencing charm around the tent. Then Draco allowed himself to freak out. He hexed every piece of furniture he could find and screamed and cried. He was a whirlwind of action, twirling around the tent, nothing was safe from his wand. _How could this have happened?_ A few weeks ago he had been the Slytherin Prince, with the world at his feet. He was rich, and young, and his family was in high standing. He had been a little worried about this Dark Lord situation, but his father hadn't spoken much about Him. It was the change in his father's attitude that had him scared. And now here he was, a filthy half-breed. Draco gagged at that thought. No better than a mudblood, really. _Fuck, why did this have to happen?_ What kind of punishment was this for his father? It was a punishment for him! He'd have to endure the hugely painful transformations every month for the rest of his life. He was the one who now had a whole new culture to learn to navigate. His father was locked up and couldn't help him now. He might not even ever see his father again.

Suddenly spent, Draco's wand clattered to the floor and his shoulders slumped. He sat heavily on the floor and held his head in his hands. A few tears leaked down his face as he sat amidst the destruction. _Fuck._ He didn't really feel any better after destroying everything in his tent. _No way Greyback is going to let me be here by myself for too long. Pull it together, Draco._ He wiped his face with his hands and looked around him. Debris was everywhere and he still needed to get his stuff from his room. He may not be allowed to stay in his bedroom, but he needed clothes to wear and his school trunk.

"Tink!"

Tink popped into place next to Draco, her eyes were wide as she eyed the mess in the tent, "Yes, Master Draco?"

"Fetch my school trunk and clothes, looks like I'm moving in with the werewolf pack I didn't know was living in my basement." Draco shook his head at the irony of that. He didn't even know who was all living in his own house? Wasn't that kind of fucked up?

Tink popped out and Draco stood slowly and surveyed the damage. Grasping his wand he started muttering _Reparo's_ under his breath as the items in his tent fixed themselves. Slowly, Draco's tent started looking like it had when he walked in 30 minutes ago. His breathing had calmed and the sweat was drying on his back as Tink popped back in the room with his school trunk in tow.

Draco had just finished putting away his clothes in the small dresser provided when, a very old man walked through his tent flap. Draco had a look of surprise on his face, _didn't anyone around here knock?_

"You the Malfoy boy?" the old man asked in an American accent. He hardly had any hair left, and what he did have was wispy and grey, circling his head, the top left shiny and bald except for the liver spots. The old man bent over his cane and sniffed.

"Yes, I'm Draco Malfoy," Draco ran a hand through his hair trying to straighten it.

"Good, pull up a chair, we're gonna chat," the old man hobbled over to the small table and chairs in the dining area of his tent, he let out a loud sigh as he settled into one of the chairs.

Draco groaned to himself and flopped down in the other chair, he cocked an eyebrow at the presumptuous old man.

"My name's Arnou Mingan, I sired Fenrir," Mingan pulled out a wand that was just as gnarled as his fingers and brought the tea service to the table and began making himself a cup.

"Sired? What does that mean?" Draco was curious, but trying hard not to show it. He affected a bored countenance.

"Means I bit 'im to make 'im a wolf. Wannat on purpose, I shoulda been locked up, but I wasn't. And he's the result. He asked me to teach you 'bout werewolf culture. Can't find it in any book. It's passed down sire to pup." Mingan sighed as he took his first swallow of tea, he filled a second cup and slid it toward Draco.

"Pup?" Draco asked as he squeezed a bit of lemon into his teacup. He was still trying to hide his curiosity, but he couldn't find anything useful about werewolves prior to his bite. If he was going to be a werewolf, he'd be the best damn one there was.

"That's you, yer a pup, yer Fenrir's pup. He sired you, bit you dinnit he?"

Draco nodded, taking a sip of his own tea.

"Mmmhmm," Mingan set down his teacup and pulled a pipe out of his robes. He started packing it with tobacco and breathed deep after he had it lit.

"Well, let's see. Fenrir's an Alpha, not all wolves is Alphas. Alphas are sumpthin' special. I'm not an Alpha, not even a Beta. But at least I'm not an Omega. I was a lone wolf, tried to do what I could for Fenrir, but I didn't have a pack to support him. Packs are important to wolves, you survive longer as a wolf if you have a pack to look after you. I'm probably the oldest lone wolf in the world at 98." Ninety-eight isn't all that old for a wizard, but being a werewolf is hard on the body. _That explains Mingan's bent appearance_ , Draco mused as he sipped his tea again.

"Ok, so a pack is good. Greyback has a pack here, he bit me, I'm part of his pack?" Draco was thinking quickly trying to put all the pieces together.

"Aye, you've a pack, pup. Greyback told me you were smart. He's hopin' you'll be Beta to him," Mingan eyed Draco through his pipe smoke and took another puff.

"What is a Beta? Everyone keeps telling me they want me to be his Beta, but I've never heard of the term before," Draco had lost the bored look and started looking interested. He wasn't even bothering to hide his curiosity anymore. Knowledge is power, and he needed all the knowledge he could get if he was going to have any power in this pack business.

"Beta is second in command, Alpha is the general, Beta is his lieutenant. Fenrir makes the orders, you advise him and make sure his orders are carried out. I don't know much 'bout this Dark Lord you got over 'ere, but Fenrir tells me ya'll are workin' for him?" Mingan puffed on his pipe some more, when he wasn't able to inhale any smoke, he tapped the bowl and looked down into it.

"Yes, we are working for the Dark Lord. Greyback wants me to be second in command? Why me? There have to be at least 15 other people out there," Draco gestured to the room beyond his tent. "And hasn't he bit hundreds of people? Where are they all?"

"Just cuz yer bit doesn't mean yer pack, firstly. The men you see here are pack. Sometimes you bite someone and they don't want nothin' to do with you, or they are their own Alpha. Or they don't survive the initial bite. Used ta be a Chief Alpha who was in charge of all the packs in Europe, he always had the largest pack. I don't right know, but I 'spect that's what Greyback is hopin' to achieve here."

"So I'd be Chief Beta?" Draco liked the sound of that, power was good. All Malfoy's knew that.

"Sumpin like 'at. Let's not worry about tha' jus' yet. As to why all those other fella's won't be Beta, well, maybe one of 'em will be. See, ya gotta fight for Beta, and the Alpha's gotta accept ya as Beta. Greyback's last Beta got himself killed, so he's needin' a new one and he don't want any of those men out there. You as smart as they all say, you'd be good for Beta.

"Beta's are strategists, top advisers, gotta be smart, gotta know the lore, gotta know the political clime. 'S why you were bit, I 'spect. Malfoy's got a lot o' political power behind 'em. Greyback needs a strong Beta in order to make hisself Chief Alpha. Ain't been a Chief Alpha in 400 years, not since Statute of Secrecy was established."

Mingan filled Draco in on more were culture, pack rules and roles. There was a lot Draco didn't know. There were almost as many pack rules as there were pure-blood etiquette rules. Who could eat first when the pack sat down for the meal. Who was allowed to vie for a new position in the pack. How to vie for a new position in the pack. What happened when you lost your position in the pack. It was a lot to take in. Mingan finished his pipe as he was talking and tucked it back into his robes.

"What's an Omega? Sounds bad," Draco finally asked.

"Omega's not what anyone wants ta be. They're the bottom of the totem pole, so to speak. They're the scapegoats and always vying to get higher in the pack if they can. Usually only one or two of them, dependin' on the size of the pack."

"So, if Greyback's the Alpha, I'm the Beta, there's only one Omega, what are the rest of the wolves?" This werewolf stuff was a lot more convoluted than Draco had ever imagined.

"Pack, they're jus' pack," Mingan finished his cup of tea and leaned back with a sigh.

"Why aren't there any women? I've never heard of a woman werewolf before?"

"Women don't survive the change. Werewolves can have mates, they're rare though. If you find your mate, you hold on to her."

"How will I know if I have a mate?" Draco was only 16, he knew his parents had been thinking about setting up a marriage contract for him, but he didn't like the idea of being tied down to one woman for the rest of his life at 16.

"You smell 'er. Instinct, I'm told. Never had a mate myself. You smell yer mate and you'll know. Works both ways though, she smells you, she'll start hangin' 'round more. Once you bond, she'll have some of the same wolfy characteristics you have, but without bein' a were. Ask Fenrir 'bout bonded, I'm too old for tha' talk. Chances are if you ever find yer mate it won't be fer years yet. Like I said, mates are rare. I don' think any of the wolves in Fenrir's pack got a mate."

Mingan stood slowly, "Tha's enough for today, pup. I'll be 'round camp, you got anymore questions. I ain't pack, but Fenrir tolerates me hangin' 'round."

Draco had a lot to mull over after Mingan had left. Being a werewolf hadn't even sunk in yet, he had 26 days until his first change. He'd be lying if he wasn't scared about that. He knew the change would be painful, he wasn't too afraid of the pain, but losing his mind? That terrified him.

* * *

Draco was lying on his bed in his very own tent in the middle of a werewolf encampment that was housed in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor. Suddenly, a bell rang throughout the room. Draco left his tent to and saw that the dueling circle had been filled with tables loaded with food. _Thank Merlin!_ Draco was starving, he started walking toward the feast at the center of the room.

Greyback loped up next to Draco, "Alright, pup?"

"Yes, Mingan just left," Draco fell into step beside Greyback.

"Good, he's a good resource, knows all the lore, I can't keep up with all that. Hopefully you are better with it than I am. You'll be sitting with me for meals. Need to find out if you're the Beta material your crazy aunt thinks you are."

Draco raised an eyebrow at that. Aunt Bella was the Dark Lord's right hand lieutenant, it wasn't often that someone who wasn't family talked about her like that. That would be a comment to mule over in the coming weeks.

Dinner progressed much as it did at Hogwarts, lots of people eating and talking. Greyback listened as Draco gave him a report on what Mingan had told him. He asked Greyback a few questions about who was who in the pack. Draco didn't recognize anyone else in the room.

"I'm the only Death Eater, the Dark Lord didn't want them all. Just me. Suits me, means they are under my control and not the Dark Lord's. But He does plan to continue to use me as punishment, so we might catch a few Death Eater's along the way. I'm going to have Mingan see you each morning to discuss more lore and Were politics."

Greyback gestured to the man sitting to his left, "This is Rand, he's going to get you started on your physical training in the afternoons."

"Physical training?" Draco asked, helping himself to seconds.

"Sparring, hand-to-hand, what you saw the lads doing when you came in."

"But, I'm a wizard, why would I need to learn to fight physically?" Draco wasn't necessarily opposed to exercise, he was a Quidditch player after all, but he didn't know why he needed to learn how to fight physically when he had a wand and magic at his disposal.

"And when you're disarmed? What then? Most wizards, especially pure-bloods," Rand spat, "won't be expecting a physical attack. Besides, being physically fit helps with your transformations, and being a wolf in general. Gets you in tune to your body and your inner wolf. Your first transformation is coming up in three weeks and if we don't get you in fighting form, you are not going to have a good time of it."

Draco nodded at that and took a drink of his pumpkin juice. That made sense, he sure had been shocked as hell when that crazy Granger bint slapped him back in third year.

"We'll get started after lunch, pup," Rand told him as he pushed back from the table and walked away.

"Rand's gruff, but he's a good instructor. Listen to him and you'll be in fighting shape in no time. I expect you to be here in the dueling court most of the time, you can go upstairs to see your mother occasionally, but your childhood bedroom is off limits. You have to live with the pack if you expect to be Beta." Greyback pushed back from the table as well and loped off to speak with a pack member Draco didn't know.

 _Great, not only am I a werewolf, I have to live with a bunch of other werewolves and strangers to boot,_ Draco huffed to himself. He was not looking forward to the rest of the summer. He was in werewolf boot camp and he still had to figure out how to kill Dumbledore. _Maybe he could just maul him at a full moon?_ Draco shuddered at that thought. That was definitely off the list. He would have to think of some other options. _Did Greyback know what his task was?_ He hadn't been in the room when the Dark Lord gave the task to Draco. His Aunt Bella knew about the task, but that didn't mean that Greyback also knew. Greyback could become a valuable ally in this new world Draco was forced to navigate. He had always done his best to be the best Malfoy he could. Now that he was a werewolf he would have to make his own rules about what being the best Malfoy meant.

* * *

After the meal was over, the tables vanished and Rand waved him over to the center of the circle. Another werewolf was there, Rand introduced him as Seff. Seff was very average looking, maybe a year or two older than Draco. He was in a word, forgettable. He was average height, shorter than Draco, and had mousy brown hair and ordinary brown eyes.

"Seff's an Omega, he probably won't ever be higher than Omega. So he'll be a good training partner for you to start with."

Draco scoffed, "Surely, if you are grooming me to be Beta, I'll be better than a lowly Omega."

Seff lifted an eyebrow and looked at Rand. Rand nodded.

The next thing Draco knew he was flat on his back and Seff was sitting cross-legged on his chest. Rand bent over and looked at Draco, smirking.

"You're a pup, even an Omega can beat a pup. You aren't Beta yet."

Draco grumbled to himself as Seff climbed off his chest. Seff held out a hand to help Draco off the floor, and Draco ignored it, pushing himself to standing.

"Ok, so how did you do that? I didn't even see you move!" Draco shrugged off his robes and tossed them to the side of the circle. He unbuttoned his shirt at his wrists and started rolling up his sleeves as Seff explained the moves to him.

Rand jumped in, "You're a pup, you don't have all your wolf senses yet. Your hearing will get sharper, your nose will get better, your vision too. And of course, your reflexes will improve. After your first change, you should be up and running as far as your senses go. We'll be practicing getting you in shape for your first change. It's always a doozy."

Draco glanced down at his trim body and back up at Rand. Rand laughed at the look on his face.

"Aye, you aren't fat, but that doesn't mean you're in shape. Quidditch only does so much. Take a look around at the rest of the wolves here," Rand gestured at the rest of the room.

Draco turned in a slow circle taking in all the other men in the large room. The one thing they had in common was that most of them were pretty brawny. Draco was slim, slimmer than his father, even his father wouldn't be considered brawny, broad at best.

"Am I going to look like the rest of them?" Draco was a little incredulous. How could his body change that much?

Rand laughed again, "Oh yes, pup, you'll bulk up. Only wolves who don't bulk are loners and sometimes Omega's. The rest of us bulk within the first year of being bit if we're bit as adults. If we're bit as kids, then it happens during puberty. You'll be buying new clothes by Christmas, mark my words."

Rand directed Seff and Draco through several more move combinations. Seff beat Draco every time. By the time Rand had finally called it quits, Draco was beat. He had sweat rolling down his face and was panting hard.

"Pretty good for your first session, pup," Greyback called walking up to the circle. Draco turned to look at him. He was dressed in Death Eaters' robes and had his mask in his hand.

"Dark Lord's called a revel for tonight, I'll be back late. Omegas will have dinner out in 30 minutes," Greyback told Draco as he walked out of the door. Seeing Greyback in his Death Eater's robes had Draco suddenly very glad he hadn't received the Dark Mark. He was glad he didn't have to attend revels, his Aunt Bella had cornered him several times in the last three weeks waxing poetic about revels. It was everything Draco could do to keep a straight face and not grimace at her descriptions.

Draco left the circle and went to his tent to shower before dinner. He was going to be in pain tomorrow. He had worked harder that afternoon than he had at any Quidditch practice he had ever attended. He could only hope that everyone was right and that the hard work would pay off when his first transition rolled around. It would be here in 25 days.

* * *

 **A/N: Newly beta'd by twztdwildcat!**


	4. Chapter 4

The next few weeks flew by in a blur for Draco. He spent his mornings with Mingan, Greyback came in at lunchtime and shared news. Then they usually played a few games of chess, Draco suspected Greyback was testing his strategic moves. Draco usually won the chess matches, but he couldn't quite figure out if Greyback was really that bad or if he was letting Draco win. In the afternoons, Draco worked with Rand and Seff on his physical training. Those were always tough sessions, Draco was better than he had been that first day, but he always left panting and sweating. At least this past week he had been able to pin Seff twice. In the evenings, Draco usually went to visit his mother. She had been looking worse as the month went on and Draco hadn't been around enough to know what was going on in the rest of the house. Occasionally, his Aunt Bella joined them, those evenings were always strained.

Most surprisingly, Draco and Seff had become friends. While Mingan gave Draco all the passed down lore and rules, Seff was able to give Draco the specifics on Greyback's pack, the pack Draco was now a part of. Draco asked Seff how it was that he was an Omega, he didn't seem particularly weak, he was shocked at Seff's answer.

"Nobody knows whether they will be an Omega or not until after their first change. You'll see in a couple of days, Omega's are small, much smaller than the rest of the wolves in the pack. Sometimes you can tell someone will be an Omega before their first change, but it's not really until the first change happens that the pack figures out where the pups fall in line. Alphas are huge wolves, Betas are big too, but usually about the same size as pack. That's part of why I'm so slight even as a human. I never bulked up, and I was bit over 6 years ago," Seff explained to Draco over dinner one evening.

"So, I could be an Omega? And I won't even know it until the first change? Why bother with all the training then if nobody knows?" Draco was frustrated thinking about all the time he had possibly been wasting. What if he was an Omega? There was no power as an Omega, and he'd been told over and over again that you couldn't escape being an Omega. From Seff's description it sounded like if he was an Omega he wouldn't even be able to challenge for a higher position in the pack because of his size. Draco wasn't quite panicking, but it was a close thing.

Seff laughed at the play of emotions that crossed Draco's face, "Naw, you won't be an Omega, I can tell by your personality."

"What in the bleeding hell does that mean?" Draco was slightly relieved, Seff definitely seemed to know his stuff in regards being a werewolf.

Seff laughed again, "It means that certain personalities are disqualified from being an Omega. Don't get me wrong, being Omega isn't awesome, but it's also not the worst thing, at least in my opinion. Yes, I have to do grunt work, and am basically a glorified servant, but that also means I don't have to make any decisions on behalf of the rest of the pack. There's not much responsibility in being an Omega, and that suits me just fine. I can see that you would never be satisfied as an Omega, so it's most likely you won't be one."

Draco thought that made sense, but his worry and anxiety over the upcoming change just cranked up an extra notch. He had asked Snape last week if he could take Wolfsbane, but Snape told him he hadn't had any prepared. Draco thought he was lying so he asked Seff about it.

"Oh, you can't have Wolfsbane for your first transformation. It's great stuff, don't get me wrong, but you need to come to terms with the wolf inside of you, and you never will if you take Wolfsbane for every transformation," Seff had explained to him. That probably made sense. The presence in the back of Draco's mind had steadily been making itself known. Draco knew to expect something like that, he and Mingan had talked at length about it. Apparently after his first full moon, the wolf would become even more present. And making peace with the wolf was the best and easiest way to making peace with being a werewolf.

* * *

The full moon was tonight and Draco felt like he was crawling out of his skin. He had never felt such anticipation before. Well before noon, Mingan had released him stating, "If you can't pay attention, pup, just get out of here," before walking out of Draco's tent. Draco took his advice. He went for a walk around the Manor grounds to try and clear his mind and ease his anxiety. It didn't help.

He went to visit his mother after his afternoon training session. He was a bit calmer after the physical activity, but even Rand had called that training session short, "You'll need your strength tonight, pup."

Draco knocked on the of his mother's solar before walking inside.

"Draco, darling, how are you feeling?" Narcissa asked as she stood to greet her son. Draco came and gave her a tight hug, accepting Narcissa's kiss to his cheek.

"I feel stir-crazy, like I need to keep moving," Draco stated as he started pacing. Narcissa had sat back down and began serving tea.

"Sit, Draco, you'll wear a hole in the carpet," Narcissa scolded. She held out a teacup with a squeeze of lemon already in it for him.

Draco grasped the teacup and sat next to his mother on the settee in front of the fireplace.

"What news of the overworld, Mother?" Overworld was Draco's new term for the Manor above the dungeons. He so rarely got out of the dueling court that he had to settle for asking his mother for news.

"Hmmm, Bella is mad as ever, she practically drools after the Dark Lord as she traipses around the Manor behind him. Severus has been by frequently, checking in on me. He is such a dear friend. I had to banish Rabastan from the Manor altogether, he was terrorizing the house elves. And I had the elves get the south wood ready for tonight." Narcissa patted Draco's hand.

"Is that where the pack will be allowed to transform and roam? The south wood?" Draco sipped his tea thinking about all of the protections that would have to be in place in order to make the south wood safe for the pack and the residents of the Manor and surrounding area.

"Yes, it's where they were for the last full moon. It's really an ideal location for the pack to spend the full moon. It's in a natural hollow and with the standing stones to anchor the restrictive spells on wolves around the wood, it's quite impenetrable. Although, if some silly human crossed the boundary, they would be able to, it's really meant to keep the wolves in the wood, not humans out," Narcissa explained.

Ah, that makes sense. The south wood was well within the bounds of the Malfoy lands, which meant that the muggle repelling charms would ensure no random muggle entered the wood, and any wizard or witch would recognize the wards around the wood instantly. That actually made him feel better, he was nervous enough about this first change, at least he knew there wouldn't be any humans nearby. Logically, he knew that as a wolf he would go crazy and crave human flesh, but thinking about it now made Draco's stomach turn. He couldn't imagine ever wanting to maul a human, he hoped he never would.

"Darling, how are you feeling about tonight? I'm worried about you." Narcissa poured herself more tea and offered the pot to Draco. Draco shook his head.

"I'm not sure, I'm scared, and nervous. It's supposed to be extremely painful," Draco got up and started pacing again. "What if I don't remember anything? I've been taking 'werewolf' lessons from Mingan, but he hasn't really talked about what the transformation is like. He says there really isn't any way to describe how painful it is the first time."

"You are a strong boy, Draco, I'm sure you will be able to handle it gracefully. What are your chances of becoming Fenrir's Beta?"

"I'm not sure, everyone tells me they are grooming me for it, but Seff just admitted that we won't know until after my first transformation whether I'll end up being an Omega or not. He suspects not, but nobody knows until after the first transformation." Draco was still pacing, and now had started running his hands through his hair and tugging at the ends as they brushed his collar.

"You need a haircut, would you like me to take care of that for you?" Narcissa gestured to her wand, which was lying beside the tea service.

Draco threw his mother a withering look, she had been trying to cut his hair most of the summer and he had been resisting her each time she offered.

"Mother, I am trying to grow it out, I have told you that several times this summer," Draco continued glaring at her.

"Calm down, darling, I won't cut it without your permission."

Draco definitely noticed that she said that with a smile in her voice, he hated when she laughed at him. He was trying so hard to be the man of the family, but this werewolf business had eaten up so much of his time that he didn't even know what was going on in the rest of the world. Greyback had forbidden him from reading the Daily Prophet saying he needed to be concentrating on his "werewolf" lessons. Draco was beyond frustrated with all of Greyback and Mingan's little rules in regards to his lessons.

Narcissa looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the solar, "Darling, it's 9:30, the sun is setting, I think it's time you meet up with your pack."

Draco looked out the window and could see the sun dipping below the horizon, "You are right, Mother. I must be off."

Narcissa stood as Draco moved to embrace her, she hugged him hard and Draco felt his throat close up. He was so scared about what was going to happen in the next few hours.

"Be strong, my son," Narcissa whispered in his ear and kissed him on the cheek.

Draco nodded and left the solar. He hurried to the dueling court, he didn't want to get in trouble for being late for his first transformation.

Upon arriving in the dueling court, Draco was shocked to see 18 nude men gathering together. Greyback spotted him and walked over, "Strip, pup."

"What? Why?"

"So you don't ruin your clothes, we're pack, you'll see plenty of nudity with us, get naked so we can get goin'," Greyback turned back from him and motioned to Rand.

Draco sighed and ran his hand through his hair again, he walked off toward his tent, undressing as he went. He joined the pack at the eastern door once he had stowed his clothes in his tent.

"Alright, pup?" Mingan asked.

Draco nodded, shuffling his feet. He was nervous, and being naked didn't help. He was also uncomfortable, sure he'd showered with his Quidditch mates at school, but this was different somehow. And a lot more people. Greyback gave a wave and opened the doors, the pack followed him out and started off to the south wood in a light jog. Draco fell toward the back of the pack where Seff was jogging along.

"We always run to the wood?" Draco asked.

"Yep, gets the blood warming. Not so bad now that it's summer, but in the winter, it gets right cold before your transformation. Don't be nervous Draco, it hurts, but everyone lives through it. In time you'll find it doesn't hurt as much and you might even like it. If you embrace your wolf, learn to live with him, you'll be able to handle your transitions much better, trust me."

Draco nodded, but kept quiet. He was really too uneasy to make conversation. He was concentrating on trying to keep as calm as he could. It wasn't long before they were entering the south wood, he could see Snape and Aunt Bella standing off to the side, ready to cast the final enchantments to keep the wolves in the wood. As he crossed the standing stone boundary he felt the wards wash over him and shuddered. He saw a few of the other pack members shudder too, but as a Malfoy and being on Malfoy land, he could feel the magic of the land better than anyone other than his father. Even his mother wasn't able to feel all of the things he could feel, despite living on the land much longer than Draco, it came from being a Malfoy by blood.

It wasn't long after that Draco felt the last of the wards fall into place as Snape and Aunt Bella finished casting. Soont twilight ended and the moon began to rise. Draco's heart was practically pounding out of his chest, especially when he saw Greyback was the first to change, it was quicker than Draco had thought it would be and Greyback didn't make a noise during the change, it almost seemed like a relief for Greyback to finally be back in his wolf form. Just as Draco had that thought, Seff standing next to him started to transition. Seff's wasn't as quick, quiet, or easy as Greyback's had seemed, maybe it was an age thing? Greyback was older and had been a werewolf a lot longer than Seff. Other pack members were changing as well, but Draco's transition hadn't started yet.

 _Shite, what if I'm not really a werewolf! Shite, I'll be killed if I'm not one, there are too many of them and I don't even have my wand!_ Then Draco felt the worst pain he'd ever felt when his right hand seemed to catch fire, he stared at it, eyes wide in shock and horror as his hand started sprouting silver fur, and then lengthened and each of the little bones broke, grew, and reset themselves. Draco could dimly hear someone screaming, and it took him a moment to realize it was him. He had been so transfixed with his hand he hadn't even noticed that his left hand and both feet were sprouting hair as well. Draco screamed and screamed and screamed as every bone in his body broke, grew, and reset itself. He sprouted fur all over and his face elongated. It seemed as if an eternity had passed before Draco realized he wasn't screaming anymore, he was whimpering, and panting and lying on the ground of the wood. There was a foreign presence in his head. One that he had only felt brushes of before.

" _Ahhhh,_ " the presence spoke in Draco's mind. " _I've been waiting for this. I've been waiting for us to transform so I could play with my pack! And you'll get to be part of the collective now!_ "

 _Collective? What is the collective? And who in the bleeding hell are you?_ Draco thought at the strange presence. He had a fleeting thought that he knew who the presence was, but it hadn't been spelled out in any of his werewolf lessons and he wanted to be sure.

"I'm your wolf, I don't have a name, yet." The presence spoke at Draco again.

 _My wolf? And I get to name you, does that make you my alter-ego or something?_

" _Something like that, you going to give me a name or what?_ " The presence's voice sounded deep and gruff in Draco's head, deeper and gruffer than Draco's voice sounded to himself. He thought for a minute.

 _Reule, will that suit?_

" _Famous wolf, eh? I like that, Reule it is_ ," Draco could almost feel Reule preening in his mind. " _Now that that's taken care of, I'm taking over control. You'll get your body back in the morning._ " Draco suddenly felt shoved into the corner of his mind. He couldn't see or hear anything, it seemed Reule had taken total control and Draco was stuck.

Reule walked amongst the rest of the pack, he smelled each wolf he came across. He found a very small wolf, no bigger than a beagle, the wolf was all a dull brown color, Reule gave him a sniff and realized it was Seff. He woofed at Seff and gave him a doggy grin. Then he moved on, when he came across a huge all black wolf, as tall as a Great Dane and as broad as a St. Bernard, he recognized him as Greyback and bowed low in deference. Greyback sniffed him and gave him a lick on the ear. Reule moved through each of the pack members, he memorized all of their smells. Mingan was a large black and silver wolf, about the size of a labrador and moved very slowly. Reule bowed to him as well, recognizing him as his sire's sire.

Once introductions were made amongst the pack and Reule, the play started. Reule and Seff play fought and Reule found that he could pin Seff every time in their wolf forms. Not something he was capable of when Draco was in control. Reule played with each of the pack members, they rolled and fought throughout the whole south wood. Reule spent time exploring the whole area, sometimes chasing down prey, other times just chasing down Seff. As the Omega, Seff was prey when there wasn't any other prey to be found. Even Greyback and Mingan got in on the wolfy games.

The night passed quicker than Reule could have thought possible. Soon it started getting lighter and the sun was peaking over the horizon. Reule began his change back to human and gave up control to Draco. The change back to human wasn't any easier on Draco. It was just as painful and when it was over he lay on the ground sweating and panting, thoroughly unable to move. This hurt worse than when he woke up after his bite. He wanted to die.

"Come on, pup, let's get back to the house," Greyback was crouched in front of Draco, offering him a hand.

"Ugmph," Draco responded elegantly.

Greyback huffed a laugh, "I know it hurts, sooner we get to the house, sooner I can give you some pain potions."

That had Draco moving, he pushed off the ground and grasped the hand Greyback had held out to him. Greyback hauled him to his feet and stuck an arm under his shoulders to help him to the house.

"You did better than I expected, pup. The training definitely helped," Greyback hugged Draco a little closer.

Draco just looked at Greyback through his fringe, he lifted an eyebrow.

"You didn't pass out, most people their first transition they pass out both ways, coming and going. You didn't. That's impressive. Took Seff two years to stop passing out during transitions. You are also not an Omega, I know you were worried about that," Greyback huffed a laugh again.

Draco tensed, he didn't think Greyback knew about his secret worry about being an Omega. But he wasn't one, so that was a good thing. Draco tried to think about what had happened during the night, but he couldn't quite piece it all together and Reule was being totally silent. Draco couldn't even feel him in his head.

"Can I ask you something, Greyback?" Draco's voice was hoarse and raw from the amount of screaming he had just done as he changed back into a human.

"Don't you think it's time you started calling me Fenrir? What's your question pup?"

"What's your wolf's name? And can you talk to him all the time? Or does he only come out during the full moon? I don't really remember anything that happened last night, is that normal? And what is the collective? Reule kept going on and on about the collective right after the change."

"Woah, pup, that was five questions, not one. Slow down a bit there, you just had a very trying night. We'll discuss it all after you've had your pain potions, breakfast and slept for a few hours, let's get back to the house first."

Greyback and Draco finally reached the dueling court. The circle was filled with tables laden with food. The rest of the pack was there, still naked as the day they were born, feasting on breakfast. Draco's mouth immediately started watering once he could smell the food. Greyback led him inside and sat him down next to Seff. Seff shot him a quick grin in between bites and Draco loaded his plate up. Draco ate three plates of food before he finally started feeling full, Greyback shoved two potion bottles at him, one was light blue and the other a very dark purple.

"Blue for the pain, the dark purple is dreamless sleep, take them both, and you'll thank me when you wake up," Greyback told him. Draco looked at them, then at Greyback. He uncorked the blue potion and gave it a sniff, smelled like a standard medium-dosed pain potion, so he swallowed it. Then he uncorked the dark purple potion and sniffed it as well. It was definitely dreamless sleep, Draco corked it again and stood up from the table.

Greyback laughed at Draco, "Like I'd poison my newest pup. You're pack, kid, I don't ever plan on getting rid of you."

Draco eyed Greyback, hopefully that was true, Draco was in over his head and he could use all the allies he could get. He nodded at Greyback and then the rest of the pack and loped off toward his tent. Once back in his tent, Draco threw on some pajamas and uncorked the dreamless sleep, once Draco was lying in his bed, he took the potion and passed out, still holding the potion bottle. It dropped to the floor a few moments later when Draco rolled over and started to snore softly.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to the fabulous twztdwildcat! Also I've seen lots of follows and favorites for this story, but hardly any reviews. Please review! I want to know what you think! And it helps keep me motivated!**


	5. Chapter 5

Fenrir looked around for his newest pup, _where is he?_ The rest of the pack was gathered, as he walked through his pack members, he made comments to some, slapping others on the shoulder, making the younger ones laugh. Tension was high as it always was right before the pack left for a full moon, tonight especially. The pack hadn't had a new pup with them for a full moon in over a year and a half. And that had been his last Beta, Raul, who had been dead for two months. Hopefully the Malfoy kid was better than Raul. _What a waste of a good wolf_.

Just then, Malfoy walked into the dueling court and stopped dead, staring at the group of huge, nude men waiting for him.

"Strip, pup," Fenrir told Malfoy as he walked toward him, relief settling his nerves.

"What? Why?" Malfoy asked him. _Everyone thinks he can be Beta and he goes and asks a question like that?_

"So you don't ruin your clothes, we're pack, you'll see plenty of nudity with us, get naked so we can get goin'," Fenrir turned back from Malfoy and motioned to Rand. He looked over his shoulder and saw Malfoy stripping on his way to his tent.

"Rand, keep an eye on the pup while we're out there tonight? I'm going to have plenty to do and I want someone else's eyes on him. We can compare notes after we wake up tomorrow," Fenrir patted Rand's shoulder as he walked the pack to the eastern door. He gave a wave, and started trotting to the south wood.

Once the pack was in the wood and the last of the wards settled into place, Fenrir started his change. Not many were aware, but Fenrir had worked hard and become an animagus several years ago, he'd had a thought that if he could become an animagus it would help with the transitions, and he was right. He still had the compulsion to change at the full moon, and once he had changed, he couldn't change back no matter what he did until morning, but it made the transitions so much smoother. He had plans to introduce it to the rest of the pack, he needed a Beta before that could happen. Once he coached his Beta through the change, he could leave some of the pack business to the Beta and work on the rest of the pack. If his theory was correct, then being a werewolf should make it easier for the pack to learn to be an animagus, their true animagus form should already be a wolf.

Malfoy was the last of the pack to change, which was common for the first time. It took Malfoy ten minutes to fully change into his werewolf form, not bad for a pup. For some pup's it took as long as thirty or forty minutes to complete the transition for the first time. The training Rand and Seff had put Malfoy through seemed to help. Once he was fully transformed, a huge silvery blond wolf lay on the ground panting in front of him. Fenrir gave him a few minutes, knowing he was getting acquainted with his inner wolf.

As Malfoy finally stood, Fenrir took in his size. S _hite, the pup might turn out to be an alpha! He_ _'s at least as big as I am, and not full grown yet._

Malfoy walked around the whole pack, sniffing and playing with each member as he came across them, he seemed to be adjusting well to the pack. When Malfoy walked up to him and gave him a sniff, he bowed low, as was proper respect to his sire and Alpha. Fenrir sniffed him back, memorizing his wolf scent, embedding it into his brain so he would always know when one of his pack was near. He gave Malfoy an affectionate lick of his ear and nudged him toward the rest of the pack for play. He made eye contact with Rand, and through the collective thought, " _He_ _'s larger than I expected, I think he'll be buying a new wardrobe well before Christmas."_

Rand snorted and pawed the ground replying through the collective, " _Better watch your back, old man, we may have a new Alpha in town._ _"_

Fenrir snorted and tackled Rand, pinning him easily. He licked Rand's neck and left off to go chase some prey down. Being an animagus helped in more ways than just the transition, Fenrir was present in his mind as a wolf. His wolf instincts became much more present, especially during the full moon, but the animagus training helped him merge his two personalities, so he was really one person. He had named his wolf, Wolfy, he was an unoriginal kid, but Wolfy was more a subconscious voice these days and not an active presence in Fenrir's mind. Part of it could be being an Alpha as well, Fenrir hadn't had a chance to speak with another Alpha in over twenty years, so he wasn't sure how it worked for them. And for the first ten years or so of being a werewolf, Fenrir didn't have a pack. Not being attached to the collective, not having that bond, really was detrimental to the psyche of a werewolf.

The collective was the web of his pack, the wolf counterparts formed the collective. When a pack member was in extreme danger, the rest of the pack was alerted through the collective, regardless of what phase the moon was in. It had been agony when Raul had gotten himself killed. He'd been behind anti-apparition wards at the time, and although the pack had all arrived as close to Raul as they could, the wards prevented from getting to him in time. He'd been killed by a village of simple magic users in the Pindus mountains in Albania. The Dark Lord had assigned him a task that Fenrir still knew nothing about. Raul had been a Death Eater and had begged Fenrir to bite him. He had gained the Dark Lord's permission and begged Fenrir for close to six months before Fenrir had finally agreed. Raul had been a great werewolf, but reckless, and being a Death Eater first, his loyalties were split. He was much more loyal to the Dark Lord than he was to the pack. By the time the pack had all apparated to the remote village, Raul had been strung up and disemboweled. They hadn't even been able to collect his body, they weren't sure what clued the villagers into Raul's status as a werewolf, but that was surely the reason he was killed. Fenrir had been sick over it, but refused to lose any more pack and had ordered the rest of the pack to apparate home.

Fenrir shook his large shaggy head, clearing himself of thoughts of his last Beta. He needed to concentrate on the Malfoy kid and see if he would make a good Beta. He certainly had the size for it, which meant he'd likely be able to best anyone in a fight, that wouldn't be the issue. What Fenrir needed was loyalty to him and the pack, and that's what concerned him. The Malfoy kid had been given some kind of task by the Dark Lord. He had heard Bella talking about it, but she clammed up when she saw him and gave him a sneer before sweeping away. He needed to befriend the kid, find out what the task was and help him if possible to ensure the kid's loyalty. Which probably also included befriending Narcissa Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was definitely a mama's boy. If he had Malfoy's loyalty, hopefully that meant he wouldn't have to worry about his position as Alpha for a few years.

* * *

The night passed quickly, and soon morning was upon the pack. Fenrir was first to change back to his human form. As the rest of the pack changed back he spoke with each of them, asking about their moon and sending them to breakfast back at Malfoy Manor. He happened upon Malfoy last, he was lying on the ground, sweating, panting, and groaning very quietly to himself.

Fenrir crouched down in front of Malfoy and extended his hand, "Come on, pup, let's get back to the house."

"Ugmph," Malfoy responded elegantly.

Fenrir huffed a laugh, "I know it hurts, sooner we get to the house, sooner I can give you some pain potions."

That had Malfoy moving, he pushed off the ground and grasped the hand Fenrir had held out to him. Fenrir hauled him to his feet and stuck an arm under his arms to help him to the house.

"You did better than I expected, pup. The training definitely helped," Fenrir hugged Draco a little closer, giving him some of his strength and warmth.

At Malfoy's sardonic eyebrow raise, Fenrir continued, "You didn't pass out, most people their first transition they pass out both ways, coming and going. You didn't. That's impressive. Took Seff two years to stop passing out during transitions. You are also not an Omega, I know you were worried about that," Fenrir huffed a laugh again.

"Can I ask you something, Greyback?" Malfoy sounded terrible, hoarse and could barely get the sentence out. That happened usually the first year or so of changes, it's painful until you can embrace the wolf fully, and pain usually means screaming.

Fenrir offered Malfoy to start calling him by his first name, he was pack now and well on his way to being Beta, he ought to address Fenrir as such. Then Malfoy asked him five questions rapid fire style, and Fenrir threw back his head and laughed.

"Woah, pup, that was five questions, not one. Slow down a bit there, you just had a very trying night. We'll discuss it all after you've had your pain potions, breakfast and slept for a few days, let's get back to the house first."

After making sure Malfoy had eaten enough breakfast, Fenrir passed him a mild pain potion and a small bottle of dreamless sleep. He watched him uncork each bottle and sniff the contents, which made Fenrir laugh again, "Like I'd poison my newest pup. You're pack, kid, I don't ever plan on getting rid of you."

Fenrir shook his head at Malfoy's antics and watched him walk off toward his tent. Hopefully he'd be up and about within a few days and he could start answering some of his questions.

"He look bigger to you?" Rand asked, sitting down beside Fenrir.

"Yep, he's definitely Beta material, you were right earlier, he could be Alpha one day too. Needs to learn a lot more before that, and we'll see if he gets any bigger once he's an adult, but it wouldn't surprise me," Fenrir plucked some bacon and chewed thoughtfully. _First change went as well as it could have, we_ _'ll see how the aftermath goes, then it's time to start befriending Malfoys._ Fenrir patted Rand on the shoulder and headed off to his own tent for a nap.

* * *

Fenrir woke with a start, he'd been dreaming. _What about?_ He could still smell the faint scent of woodsmoke that had been in his dream, woodsmoke and death. That's what he'd been dreaming about. Fenrir scrubbed his hands down his face and got up to take a shower. It had been a long night, looking at his clock he realized he had only been asleep three hours. _Not nearly long enough, won_ _'t be sleeping after a dream like that, though._

After his shower, Fenrir planned to head upstairs, he wanted to seek out Narcissa, Bella if he could find her, and Snape. They were all close to his pup and he needed allies if he was going to get his pup to trust him. Walking out of his tent, he noticed the rest of the dueling court was quiet, everyone else was still sleeping off the night, good. Knowing the pack was safe and all in one place always settled Fenrir's soul. The rest of the pack was his responsibility, they felt like his children, and just as any parent feels most at ease knowing their children are home and safe, that's how Fenrir felt about his pack.

He made his way upstairs to Narcissa's solar, he had been in there only once before when she had assigned them the dueling court for pack residence and discussed using the south wood for full moons. Knocking on the door, he waited quietly to see if she was there.

"Draco, darling, is that you?" Narcissa called out.

Fenrir pushed the door open and poked his head around, "Mrs. Malfoy, I was wondering if I could have a word?"

"Mr. Greyback, do come in! Would you like some tea?" Narcissa waved him through to sit with her. Fenrir walked in the solar, the morning light blinding him as he adjusted from the dark hallways. Fenrir crossed the room to sit opposite Narcissa as she poured the tea. It was comical, here he was a huge hulking man sitting on a dainty settee next to an equally dainty society wife being served tea. Fenrir fought to keep a smirk off his mouth at the image.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Greyback?" Narcissa handed him his tea cup and gestured toward the milk and sugar on the tray. Narcissa was a small woman, her blond hair as vibrant as it had been in her youth, but she looked pale and not well this summer. _Must be the stress, husband gone, only son now a werewolf, the Dark Lord and his inner circle living with her._

"Please, call me Fenrir, or Greyback, if you must. Mr. Greyback is too formal for me," Fenrir replied stirring some sugar into his tea before taking a sip, his large hands dwarfed the tiny cup.

"Fenrir then, what can I do for you?" Narcissa repeated.

"Just wanted to talk to you about Draco, how is he doin'? He's hard to read sometimes, and I was hoping you could give me some insight. I'm not sure how much you know about werewolves, but each member of my pack is family to me," Fenrir explained to Narcissa a bit sheepishly. He didn't like showing any emotion or feeling to anyone, but he was pretty sure that in order to get her to open up, he'd have to show her that he cared for her son. Even if at the moment he only cared because he was pack.

"Oh, well, Draco seems fine really. He was quite nervous about last night, he almost paced a hole into the rug. He was concerned about the possibility of him being an Omega, which I gather is a bad thing?" An elf popped in then with a plate of biscuits, Narcissa smiled at the elf and waved it away, after it had deposited the biscuits on the table.

Fenrir leaned forward and snagged a biscuit, eating it whole before replying, "He's not an Omega, no need to worry there. Biggest pup I've seen in years actually. He will definitely be able to be Beta if that's what he chooses to do."

Narcissa looked relieved at that. Knowing that Fenrir valued him enough to be Beta must have eased her fears quite a bit.

"Do you know of his task?" Narcissa asked sipping her tea, her pure-blood mask firmly in place.

"I know he has a task," Fenrir edged, he wasn't sure how much she would tell him. But he needed to know it all.

"The Dark Lord has honored my son with the task of killing Albus Dumbledore," Narcissa told him very flatly. Her face a mask of calm. They could have been discussing the weather.

Fenrir choked on his tea, "Dumbledore?!" He was gob smacked. Dumbledore was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, he had defeated Grindelwald, he was probably the only other person on earth that the Dark Lord feared, and his new pup was supposed to murder him? _Fuck. We are all fucked._

"Mmm, I believe that was Draco's reaction as well. Bella is quite excited for Draco to become a killer, has been offering to help him practice his Unforgivable's all summer long," Narcissa seemed totally calm as she discussed events that would corrupt her son and turn him into a completely different person. Fenrir wasn't fooled though, Narcissa was the perfect pure-blood hostess, she wouldn't lose her cool if someone was Avada'd in her presence. She'd just direct an elf to clean up the mess and continue the party.

"I see," Fenrir paused thinking quickly, "I will do what I can to help him with this task. He's a pup, and this is probably too big for his shoulders. I'm sure I will be able to come to an agreement with him," Fenrir closed off his emotions, he needed to play it as cool as Narcissa was playing it, there were eyes and ears everywhere in this house.

Narcissa sighed in relief, her shoulders sagging just a bit before remembering herself and squaring them again. "Yes, that would be helpful, thank you, Fenrir."

Fenrir nodded and stood to take his leave, "Mrs. Malfoy, I meant what I said, pack is family, I'll take Draco under my wing. I'll teach him and protect him like family." He bowed over Narcissa's hand, just brushing her knuckles with his lips as was a proper goodbye in her circle.

Narcissa nodded and offered a very tentative smile to Fenrir as he walked out of the solar.

One down, two more to go. Fenrir headed off in search of Snape.

* * *

Fenrir didn't find Snape. _Must not be in residence, he would corner him after the next time the Dark Lord called them both._ He didn't find Bella either, which suited him fine. She was a crazy bitch and he'd rather avoid her if he could, but he needed to protect his pup, and that meant trying to become allies with her. He made his way back toward the dueling court, it was almost noon and lunch would be served for anyone who was awake. _I don_ _'t know how my pack survived before house elves, we're almost spoiled these days._ Fenrir was happy that his pack was able to stay in a place like Malfoy Manor, they each had their tent, but they were together, they were safe, and most importantly, they were fed and protected at the full moon. The full moon was almost as dangerous for werewolves as it was for wizards to be around werewolves. Wizards would kill a werewolf if they came across one, and if they came across a pack? They would hunt that pack down and kill every last one of them. That's what Fenrir was fighting against, an ingrained prejudice that had been going on for a millennium.

Rand was awake and eating when Fenrir arrived in the dueling court, _perfect, just the wolf I needed to see._ Rand had no interest in being a Beta, but he was serving as Beta while Fenrir looked for a new one. Rand preferred to be pack, he liked helping to train the pups, but he wanted no more responsibility than that. Which was fine with Fenrir, he wasn't about to push someone to be who they weren't.

"Rand, how was your nap?" Fenrir asked as he sat next to him and started filling a plate.

"Shorter than I would have liked, nightmare woke me up." Rand replied around a mouthful of sandwich.

"You too? I've been upstairs speaking with Mrs. Malfoy already because I couldn't sleep. What do you think of the pup? Settling with the pack ok? Think his first night went well? There weren't any fights were there?" Fenrir dug into his food while he listened to Rand's report.

"Malfoy is going to be a damn fine werewolf as long as he commits to his wolf side. You could hardly tell he was a pup once the change was over. You know how pups are normally, shy, they hang back and don't get in on the games. The Malfoy kid was leading half the games, he greeted each pack member, and showed deference where it was needed too. Bowed to Mingan, don't know if you saw that?"

"Mmm, I didn't, that's good, pack doesn't pay him much attention, and that's fine, he's technically not pack, but I like to see that he's being honored." Fenrir filled his plate for the second time.

"Yes, it was a good thing, he could definitely be a leader in the pack, despite being a pup. He's smart, he's befriended Seff, did you know? More than just a training partner, actually looks out for him and is interested in what he has to say. Hard to say this early in the game, but he seems genuine, loyal, which is what we need in a Beta, someone who is loyal to us before they are loyal to anyone else." Rand leaned back on the bench and refilled his goblet with pumpkin juice.

"That's my goal, I'm working to befriend all of Malfoy's allies, his mother, Bella, and Snape. Not sure if there is anyone else he's close to that isn't a school kid, but if you know of someone, let me know. I like to hear he's befriended our Omega, Omegas get a lot of shite, but they perform an important function in the pack and Seff is an excellent Omega. Some get resentful, but not Seff, knows his place in life and is happy with it."

Rand nodded his agreement, more of the pack had woken up at the smell of food and were filtering toward them. Fenrir made his way back to his tent, after his meal he was feeling sleepy again. He'd had a pretty successful morning, worked on his alliance with Narcissa Malfoy and it looked like his newest pup would be the Beta the pack needed, maybe now he could get some uninterrupted sleep.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat! She's seriously the best! Hopefully, this chapter answers some questions that I've seen in reviews. Let me know what you think! Also, Hermione is coming up, I promise, she appears in Chapter 6 and narrates Chapter 7, so it's coming!**


	6. Chapter 6

Draco awoke with a start and a groan. He felt like he had been in a hippogriff stampede, everything in his body hurt. His head was pounding, and his mouth was dry and scratchy. What had happened? _Oh, that_ _'s right, I'm a werewolf now, full moon was last night_. Draco cast a tempus charm and saw that it was six in the evening, dinner time then. _Good, I_ _'m bloody starving._

Draco rolled out of bed and headed toward his bathroom. It wasn't nearly as nice as his en suite upstairs, but the water worked and the shower was hot. He relaxed, letting the warm water sluice down his body and ease his aching muscles. He wondered if the rest of the pack felt this bad, or if it was just him because he was a first timer. He was glad that it was only one night a month he had to deal with this shite.

He still couldn't believe that he was a half-breed werewolf. He couldn't really remember anything from the night before, if not for his aching body and recalling his horror at seeing his hands deform and sprout fur he would have thought it was all a prank. Some sick joke someone made up for him. But as he shut the shower off and looked in the mirror, he could see evidence of the night before, he had scratches and marks on his body where he had played with the rest of the pack. And had he grown? He looked taller than he did just yesterday, and surely he didn't have that much muscle definition in his abs yesterday. He had always been fit, but on the slimmer side, never bulky enough to have muscle definition.

Draco shook his head to clear his thoughts and proceeded to get dressed. It was as he was buttoning his shirt he confirmed that he had indeed gotten bigger, his sleeves were tighter, almost uncomfortably so, and while the shirt tucked into his trousers, it was shorter than it had been the last time he wore it, the tails weren't nearly as long as they had been.

Once dressed, Draco headed out of his tent and to the circle in the dueling court. As he arrived he saw that the rest of the pack was there and eating, but they all stopped and looked at him. Greyback stood up and gestured him over.

"You alright pup? Sure you want to be out of bed?" Greyback slung an arm over Draco's shoulders while talking to him quietly and turning him from the rest of the pack so they were facing the door to the dungeons.

"Yes, I'm achy and sore, but otherwise I feel fine," Draco replied, but looked at Greyback questioningly. _What was with the babying? He doesn_ _'t normally act like this._

"It's just, normally after the first change, a werewolf sleeps for two, sometimes three days. And I gave you dreamless sleep this morning, you took it right?" Draco was pretty sure he could hear a note of concern in Greyback's voice. _Why does he care? I know we_ _'ve gotten along a bit this last month, but he's still a savage_ _, filthy, half-breed, right?_

"I took the dreamless sleep potion, but really I feel fine. I'm hungry, I don't want to sleep until I've eaten again," Draco was almost petulant in his rebuttal.

"Alright, pup, calm down. I'm impressed with your stamina, rest of the pack will be too." Greyback turned to the rest of the pack, "Let's hear it for the pup! First full moon and he's up and about twelve hours later, never seen anything like it myself."

The pack cheered, they actually cheered for him. _This is insane!_ Draco was secretly pleased, he didn't know the last time anyone had cheered for him, his birthday last summer perhaps? Draco could feel his cheeks reddening in slight embarrassed pleasure. As the cheering died down, Greyback squeezed his shoulders affectionately and Draco moved to sit in the empty seat next to Seff.

"Alright then, Draco?" Seff asked as he started adding food to Draco's plate.

"Yes, is it really so strange to be up this early after the first full moon? I mean, I don't feel great, but I'm not in the worst pain of my life either." Draco nodded his thanks at Seff as he started eating.

Seff laughed, "I slept for almost four days, I was so sore and tired. So yes, it's a bloody miracle you are up and about this early. But what it speaks to is your strength, which is good if you really want to be Beta. I know people keep telling you, but have you thought about it at all? Do you want to be Beta? It's a lot of responsibility."

Draco mulled over this question as he ate, it had been running through his mind over the last week or so. He was pretty sure he knew the answer, from everything he had been told, Beta was a powerful position in the pack. Draco recognized power, and would do everything he could in order to get more power. It was one of the guiding principles of his childhood, learning how to recognize power and use it to your advantage to gain more power. From the Malfoy perspective, yes, Draco wanted to be Beta, his father would accept nothing less. Not that his father even knew he was a werewolf. Draco had been avoiding thinking about what Lucius Malfoy's reaction to that news would be, but one day, unless his father never came home from Azkaban, he was going to have to face that demon and that was not something Draco looked forward to.

"I think I do want to be Beta, yes, it's a lot of responsibility, but I've been raised my entire life to become a leader, to be responsible. My life is turning out different than I had expected, obviously, but I still want that," Draco finally replied to Seff.

Seff nodded and his brown hair flopped in his eyes, he brushed it back and shot Draco a grin. "Good, I think you'll be an excellent Beta. Much better than the last one."

Draco had learned of what happened to Raul from Mingan several days prior. The thought of being disemboweled terrified and sickened him, and knowing that the only reason Raul had even been in that village was due to the Dark Lord, made Draco even more determined to do everything he could to avoid taking the Dark Mark. Being a werewolf half-breed was bad enough, he didn't need to add being a Death Eater on top of that.

* * *

The next month passed swiftly for Draco. He still had werewolf boot camp, lessons with Mingan in the mornings, and training with Seff and Rand in the afternoons, but now his evenings were taken up with Greyback, _Fenrir,_ he corrected himself. Fenrir had taken the time to answer all of Draco's questions about the collective. He still didn't quite understand how it worked, but Fenrir assured him that over the next few moons he would be able to "share" his brain a bit, and thus be able to access the collective.

"First moon is hardest for the human, every moon after that it gets a bit easier for the human to be more present in the mind," Fenrir had told him. He had explained to Draco that the more he accepted his condition and the wolf, the easier time he'd have.

"What do you mean accept it? I'm resigned to it at this point," Draco had told him.

"That's the point, you're resigned to it, that's not acceptance. It's really more about embracing your wolf. You can't just accept that now you're a werewolf, and secretly resent it. The wolf is part of you, you gave it a name right?"

"Reule."

"Famous wolf?" Fenrir laughed, "You are definitely a Malfoy. You named the wolf, but he's really just another side of you, the closer you get to that side, the more you merge together as one. That's what all werewolves strive for, oneness. Being bit turns you into something else and splits your personality, you have to work on putting that personality back together again, and when you do that, you'll have more control at the moon. Don't get me wrong, pup, it's hard. And not all werewolves can manage it. There's a lot of stigma being a werewolf, but it can be done. I have some ideas on how to help it too, but you aren't ready for them yet. You need to work on embracing the wolf. Which also means I can't allow you to have Wolfsbane for the first year or so." Fenrir looked at Draco knowingly.

 _Fuck, there goes that idea._ Draco had been thinking of asking Snape to show him how to brew it so he could take it during the school year when he would be away from his pack. _Wait, did I just think of it as my pack? When did that happen?_ The pack, it had always been the pack. Draco scolded himself, it was still the pack. He may be a half-breed, and he may be part of this pack, but it wasn't his. He even liked some of the other wolves, Seff was a legitimate friend, despite being almost ten years older than him, and Rand wasn't so bad once you got past the gruffness.

Draco rubbed his face and thought back to his conversation with Fenrir about Reule. He hadn't felt him lingering at the back of his mind since a few days after the moon had been full. As the moon was closer to growing full again he started feeling tickles of Reule at the very back of his mind, but he couldn't lure him out. It didn't help that Draco barely had time to see his mother the last few weeks, he certainly didn't have time to sit and think. He suspected that sitting and thinking is how he would be able to draw Reule out into a conversation and then begin this embracing concept.

"Fenrir, what's a werewolf mate? Mingan said something about it, but wouldn't explain it beyond you only get one?" Draco asked out of the blue while they were playing chess one evening a few days after the embracing the wolf conversation.

Fenrir laughed sardonically, "A werewolf mate is a once in a lifetime opportunity and most werewolves don't get the opportunity."

"Why? What makes a mate special? Is it different than just having a girlfriend or a wife?" Draco asked pushing his bishop forward.

Fenrir scrubbed his face with one hand, "Pup, of all the things to ask," Fenrir groaned out. He knocked over his king, conceding defeat to Draco and stood up. They were in Fenrir's tent and he headed toward where Draco knew he kept his firewhisky. He grabbed a bottle and two glasses and sat back down.

"I'm going to need to drink to tell this story, you want a little pup?" Fenrir asked pouring a healthy amount of firewhiskey in one of the glasses.

Draco couldn't believe his luck, his father had never let him drink firewhisky, it was all butterbeer, mead, or elf wine, nothing stronger than that. He tried to play it cool, but was sure he let on how excited he was to try it, "Sure, I'll have some."

Fenrir chuckled under his breath and poured less than a finger's worth into the second glass, "Take it easy, pup."

Draco picked up his glass and knocked the whole thing back in one go. And coughed for the next two minutes. _Gods! That shite is awful! How do people drink this stuff?_ His throat was burning and it felt like his stomach was on fire.

Fenrir threw his head back and laughed at Draco's reaction. "Takes some getting used to. You'll get it one day."

Fenrir gave Draco another finger and told him to sip it this time. It went down a bit better the second time. Draco was feeling pleasantly tingly when Fenrir started speaking again.

"I had a mate once, her name was Uma. I met her when I was young, before I had a pack. Her smell," Fenrir closed his eyes and breathed for a moment. Draco could see that he was remembering his mate. "She smelled divine, it's hard to describe, I think it's like that love potion. You know, the one that smells like your true love? But it's different for everyone?"

Draco nodded, he didn't want to interrupt.

"That's what your mate smells like, not the potion, but your true love. When you smell it, you'll know. I was young, traveling through northern India, I didn't have a destination in mind as I was without a pack. I knew I was an Alpha, I could feel it, but I didn't understand what being in a pack meant, I was just biting victims and leaving them, not collecting them for a pack. One day, in a small village on the foothills of the Himalayas, I smelled her. It was a fresh spring breeze, and strawberries, and warmth, and home. Instinctively, I knew I had to find whatever it was that smelled like that. I circled the village, spying for several days, until I finally figured out where it was coming from. She was beautiful, an eldest daughter still living at home. Her father had died and she was working with her mother to feed her younger brothers and sisters. She was a witch, but hadn't been formally trained anywhere, she just had her home magic, potions, and healing, and the like. Her mother was the local healer, she practiced Sa-Rigpa in the village and Uma was learning from her."

"What happened?" Draco asked after Fenrir had been quiet for too long. Fenrir still had his eyes closed and he opened them when Draco spoke. The look in his dark eyes spoke of so much pain that Draco reached out and touched Fenrir's hand.

"She died. Another village raided hers and she was killed in the raid trying to protect her younger siblings. I had only spent three months with her and her family." Fenrir said flatly, like it was a script he had memorized to keep him from talking about the details of the day.

Fenrir poured himself another glass and drank it all. He immediately poured another one.

"If you ever find a mate, hold on to her and don't let her go. You only get one. Nobody has ever heard of a wolf who had more than one true mate in their lifetime. Sure I could find a woman, marry her, what have you, but she won't ever be my mate," Fenrir said this with such intense fierceness that it made Draco long for a mate for just a moment. He shook his head a little, _what was he thinking? I_ _'m only sixteen, I don't want to be tied down to one woman at this age!_

"Were you bonded with Uma?" Draco asked quietly. He knew how painful this must be for him, he could hear in Fenrir's voice that he was holding back tears. It seemed impossible to Draco that someone as fierce as the great Fenrir Greyback, was this upset about a woman. Having a mate must be extraordinarily rare if Fenrir showed this much emotion over it.

Fenrir glared at Draco for a moment, and then threw back his head and laughed. _What in the world? One minute he_ _'s practically in tears and the next he's laughing?_

"Nosy thing, aren't you, pup?"

Draco could feel heat rising in his face, "I - I didn't mean…"

Fenrir laughed again and sipped at his firewhisky, "It's alright, you need to know. I'm guessing Mingan talked about it but told you to ask me for the dirty bits?"

 _Dirty bits?_ Draco just nodded and took another small sip of his drink.

"I was bonded with Uma, it's what made her death worse, actually. I could feel how scared she was and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Bonding happens during sex, pup." Draco's face just got redder, he really did not want to talk about sex with Fenrir.

"I won't go into the gory details, but if you find a mate, and you bed your mate, you'll want to bite her. You can resist, but biting her while bedding her is how you finalize the bond. You can bite other women during sex and you won't form a mate bond with them. The mate bond only happens with your true mate."

Draco was thoroughly embarrassed by the sex talk. _No wonder Mingan didn_ _'t want to go into this with me._ He quickly changed the subject to other topics. He wasn't a virgin or anything, but Fenrir was his parents age. He did not want to think about people his parents age having sex.

* * *

Fenrir had kept Draco so busy he had hardly had a chance to see his mother or gather any news of the overworld. _How was he supposed to be her eyes and ears like he promised if he didn_ _'t have time to be up there?_ Draco was frustrated, he felt like he was failing his duty as a Malfoy by not being around to protect his mother. Not that when he went to school this week he'd be able to protect her. _Damn my father,_ Draco thought for what must have been the millionth time that summer. Draco had vowed to owl his mother every other day while at school. He told her that if he hadn't heard from her two days in a row, he was planning to come home and make sure she was alright.

"Darling, you are over reacting. I am a grown witch and perfectly able to take care of myself," Narcissa had sniffed at him when he told her this.

"Mother, please, I worry about you. You haven't been well since Father went away. I hold my vow, if I haven't heard from you in two days, I will be showing up here to ensure you are safe. Someone has to be the man around here."

"Draco! Do not think ill of your father, he does the best he can," Narcissa lowered her voice, "this is a difficult situation for all of us. Your father very much regrets what has happened to his family, I need you to believe in him, Draco."

Draco rolled his eyes at his mother and nodded his agreement. They did not see eye-to-eye in regards to his father's culpability in this mess.

"Have you grown, Draco? Your robes seem snug," Narcissa commented, expertly changing the subject while giving Draco the eye that meant she was thinking about shopping.

"According to Fenrir, I am a huge wolf, which means my wizard form will grow larger to match the bulk of the wolf. Rand and he have a bet that I'll need a new wardrobe by Christmas, according to Seff. I've already transfigured these to as large as I can get them with the amount of fabric available."

"Excellent, we can go shopping this week. We'll get your school things and some robes you can grow into. It'll be a fun trip out of this gloomy house," Narcissa clapped her hands in excitement while Draco rolled his eyes again. He may be acting put upon, but he was pleased to give his mother an excuse to get out of the house.

The trip to Diagon Alley was uneventful, Draco secured his school things, and Narcissa doted on him with new robes. They bought several sets a few sizes up as well as what currently fit him, Madam Malkin raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

The week passed quickly after that, there was another full moon where he romped and played with the pack. The transformation still hurt like nothing he had ever felt before, and he was still horrified at the memory of watching fur grow out of his hands and feeling every bone in his body break and reform. But he had been able to coax Reule into letting him have a closer view of the night than the first full moon. Draco actually remembered bits and pieces of the night, unlike last time when it was a complete blank.

He was not looking forward to starting his sixth year. He did not want to leave his mother alone at Malfoy Manor with nobody to look out for her. He had asked Fenrir to take tea with her a few times a week if he could manage it and Fenrir solemnly promised him that he would. Draco searched his face, but didn't see a hint of laughter that was usually present in Fenrir's dark eyes, so he took him at his word and hoped he would keep his promise.

He had put off thinking about his task all summer, but now that he was on his way to Kings Cross Station, he couldn't stop thinking about it. _How am I going to kill Dumbledore?_ He had no ideas. Maybe he could spend his time on the train contemplating it. He could only hope that something would present itself and Draco could take advantage of the opportunity.

Once at the station, he told his mother goodbye and stiffly accepted her hug and the kiss on her cheek. He wanted nothing more than to hug her back tightly, but they were in public now. They had said their private goodbyes at home, before leaving for Kings Cross.

* * *

 _Oh, gods, she smelled delicious._

Draco could smell his mate the moment he stepped onto the train. His sense of smell had improved drastically since his first change. He had started at a car in the back of the train and as he walked forward he refined the smell. She smelled like apples, and trees full of fall leaves, and cinnamon, and home. _Fenrir was right, she smells like home. Wait, mates are rare, how is it I have a mate and she_ _'s on this train?_ Draco continued walking forward toward the prefect car and her scent got stronger the closer he got. _Alright, so she is probably a prefect. But what are the odds? Seriously, I am going to have owl Fenrir as soon as we get to Hogwarts._

He was the last prefect to arrive and he stepped into the prefect's car as the train started chugging out of the station. He took a seat in the back, she was definitely in this car. The smell was so strong it was almost overpowering. He looked at each girl in the car, trying to figure out exactly where it was coming from. It was about halfway through the meeting that someone in the row in front of him tossed her hair and he got a huge whiff of her scent. _That_ _'s it, that's her, that's my mate!_ He was excited, and nervous, and scared. He was pretty sure he knew who it was by the bushy brown curls on the back of her head.

He furrowed his brow as he stared at the back of her head, that couldn't be right. First he's bitten by a werewolf as punishment, learns all about them, is encouraged to become Beta, but nobody says how he's supposed to become Beta, and then finds out about mates and how rare they are. He asked Seff about it, Fenrir was the only person in the pack whoever had had a mate. Ever. Out of eighteen werewolves, just him. _It_ _'s insane that as essentially a two month old werewolf I've immediately found my mate._

The girl turned around and he locked eyes with her. _Granger. This whole situation is insane and completely fucked. No way, my mate is Granger._ She lifted an eyebrow, he shook his head and looked away from her, still thinking furiously. _How the bleeding fuck am I supposed to cope with something like this? First werewolves, then Dumbledore, now fucking Granger?_ Draco was livid, he was owling Fenrir as soon as he got back to his cabin, there was no way he could wait the six hours it was going to take to get to Hogwarts. _Gods she smells amazing._

As the meeting broke up and Weasley pulled Granger out the door, she turned back to look at him. He lifted his own eyebrow in return and smirked. He followed them out of the compartment and down the train to find his own friends, smelling her delicious scent the entire way.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to twztdwildcat for her excellent beta services! And there, a teensy, tiny bit of Hermione. She narrates the next chapter, which I'll have up in a couple of days. Thank you guys so much for your wonderful reviews! Seriously, you are giving me the warm fuzzies!**


	7. Chapter 7

Hermione Granger was not excited to begin her sixth year at Hogwarts. She hadn't recovered from the curse that Antonin Dolohov had hit her with until halfway through the summer, and was still on a potion regimen and would be until almost Halloween. Last year had been the worst year yet at Hogwarts, and it was getting harder and harder to explain to her parents what was going on. She had kept them in the dark as much as possible, but being on a potion regimen most of the summer and healing from a dark curse with no known counter-curse, had been rather difficult to explain. In the end, Professor McGonagall had told her parents that it had been an accident during exams, and that Hermione had had a worse reaction than most people do to that type of curse. A lie of course, but a necessary one if Hermione planned to continue her studies at Hogwarts. And while, she realistically knew that her survival chances were extremely poor due to being best friends with Harry Potter, she was loyal to a fault.

Hermione was on her way to King's Cross Station with her parents. They had finally come around to letting her go back to Hogwarts, so she was doing her best to not ruffle any feathers until they had arrived. She loved her parents, she really did, but she knew she belonged in the wizarding world. No way was she going to let some creepy megalomaniac take over the world she belonged in. And Harry, bless his heart, was not going to be defeating Voldemort on his own. Hermione was determined to be there each step of the way, helping Harry and ridding the wizarding world of Voldemort once and for all. Hermione was a very determined witch.

Bidding her parents goodbye at the train station, she told them she didn't need them to walk her to the platform. She knew it was uncomfortable for them to watch her disappear into a wall when they couldn't follow, being muggles. She found a trolley, and hauled her trunk with Crookshanks' cage on top and made off for Platform 9 ¾ where she stowed her trunk on the train and let Crookshanks out of his cage to roam free while she headed up to the prefects car for the first meeting of the year.

As the train pulled away from Kings Cross Station, the last prefect entered the cabin, Draco Malfoy, and the Head Girl and Boy started the meeting. Having been a prefect last year, Hermione knew the spiel already, prefects could only take points from their own house, and could only scold and recommend students for punishment to house heads of other houses. Head Boy and Girl would assign patrol times and routes. They were told that if a prefect couldn't make a patrol time, then it was their responsibility to find someone to swap with them. On and on the meeting went. The only new item this year was that patrol was to be done in pairs from different houses and years. Last year they had patrolled with their prefect pair, which meant every patrol Hermione had gone on had been with Ron Weasley. Ron was sitting next to her in the meeting and they exchanged looks at this last bit, Ron bumped her shoulder and gave her a smile. Hermione smiled back.

That was when she started feeling like someone was staring at her. Hermione didn't want to attract the attention of the Head Boy and Girl, so she looked to each side of her to see if she was being watched, nobody was turned her way. So it must be someone behind her. She and Ron had sat near the back of the car in order to make a fast exit when the meeting was over, there was only one row of seats behind them. She turned away to cough so she wouldn't disrupt the meeting and see behind her and caught the gray eyed stare of Draco Malfoy. _Well, that at least answers the question of who_ _'s staring at me._ She raised her eyebrow at him, questioning why he was looking at her. He suddenly seemed to realize he was staring and shook his head and looked away.

Hermione turned back to face the front of the car just as the Head Girl and Boy were concluding the meeting. _That was weird._ She shook her head and looked at Ron as he stood and tugged her arm.

"Come on 'Mione, let's go find Harry and Ginny," Ron called over his shoulder pulling Hermione after him. Hermione still felt like she was being watched and turned around to see that Malfoy was looking at her again. _What a creep._ He smirked and she scowled at him and hurried out of the car after Ron.

* * *

Ron and Hermione finally found Harry and Ginny three cars from the back of the train, Neville and Luna were also in the compartment.

"Gang's all here," Ginny announced glumly as Ron and Hermione sat down on the same bench as Harry, facing Neville, Luna, and Ginny.

Harry looked at the floor, his face grim. Hermione reached over and slung her arm around his shoulders giving him some silent comfort. Sirius' death had been extremely difficult for Harry, she knew. He nodded at her and squared his shoulders, shrugging her arm off. Their compartment was a quiet one, a word or two was spoken, but most seemed to be in a mood similar to Harry's thinking on the events that had taken place two months ago at the Department of Mysteries.

The snack trolley came around and Hermione hopped up to buy snacks for the group. Normally, Harry did this, but he didn't even seem to notice that the trolley witch was there, he was staring out the window watching the landscape roll by. After gathering snacks for everyone, Hermione decided she needed a breather from the heavy atmosphere in her train car. She told the group she was going to the bathroom and left. Once outside the compartment and past the windows she leaned against the wall, sighed heavily, and closed her eyes. She really wasn't feeling that great, the potions she was on due to her curse scar from Dolohov tired her easily. She had hoped once on the train, she would be able to coax Harry into a better mood and thus the group into a better mood, but that hope was in vain. Harry was determined to sulk, and once Harry got an idea in his head, there was no removing it.

Hermione sighed again and turned to head toward the bathroom at the end of the car. As she turned she opened her eyes and nearly slammed into someone else making their way the opposite way down the train. Whoever it was caught her elbow to keep her upright, looking up, she saw it was Malfoy. _Great, just what I needed._ Malfoy stared down at her with a slightly confused look on his face. Hermione searched his eyes before shaking herself loose from his grip.

"Pardon me," she muttered and pushed passed him. As she reached the bathroom, she looked back over her shoulder and found that Malfoy was still staring at her, his brow furrowed and his gray eyes intense.

 _What a creep,_ she thought for the second time that day as she closed the door. _Why was he staring at her?_ She looked in the tin mirror above the tiny sink in the bathroom to make sure she didn't have anything on her face or in her teeth or something. _What was with him?_ He always had a comment to make to her regarding her friends, her blood status, her appearance, or all three. But both times she had caught him staring today he hadn't said a word. He had just looked confused like he was thinking hard about a puzzle he couldn't figure out. Hermione sighed again, not what she needed this year, another puzzle to work on. Sixth year was not going to be a good year.

When Hermione left the bathroom, Malfoy was waiting for her. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and looked at him with wide eyes, surprised to find him there. He was slouched against the opposite wall with his hands in his pockets, he hadn't put on his school robes yet. His silvery blond hair was long, he was no longer wearing it slicked back and it hung past his eyes. He had been looking at his feet before she stepped out and looked up when he heard the bathroom door open. His slate gray eyes caught hers again, and this time, something in the pit of Hermione's stomach flickered. Malfoy inhaled deeply and his eyes fluttered closed for a moment before he snapped them open again. Hermione dimly recognized that the bathroom door slid shut behind her. Malfoy was blocking the hallway and her back was to the door.

"Granger," he all but growled at her. His voice deeper than what she had remembered from the year before. The sound of that voice made her stomach feel even funnier than catching his eyes had done. _What was happening?_

"Malfoy, what can I do for you?" Hermione was determined to be polite, he was a foul, loathsome, cockroach, but so far this year he hadn't insulted her. The least she could do was the same.

"Don't you feel it? I was told you'd feel it too." He got that confused look on his face again and scrubbed a hand down his face.

"What are you talking about? Feel what? Feel like shite because one of your father's little buddies almost killed me two months ago?" Hermione hadn't meant to lose her temper, but he wasn't making sense and she was already feeling terrible and she snapped at him.

She could visually see him lose his temper, his face got red and he clenched his fist. He slammed his hand on the door beside her head and stepped into her personal bubble, his body practically touching her. She flinched and immediately regretted it.

"Do not talk about my father." His voice was cold and hard and his eyes were flinty as he stared down at her.

He had grown so tall over the summer that she had to crane her neck to meet his eyes. She scowled at him in return and crossed her arms over her chest to try and create some room. He was being ridiculous. First asking her nonsense questions, then basically threatening her. She had faced Death Eaters, actual, full grown Death Eaters two months ago. She was not afraid of this Death Eater-in-training.

"You don't scare me, Malfoy." She attempted to move past him and he blocked her again with his body, stepping closer so he was touching her. His other hand came up to the door behind her and she was trapped.

His eyes were half-closed as he brought his mouth close right ear, his voice was deep, almost sensual, "Maybe you should be scared, Granger. I've had a hell of a summer, I'm not the same person I was two months ago." His hot breath puffing hotly against her ear sent a shot of electricity through Hermione and something pulsed low in her belly. She closed her own eyes and inhaled deeply. _Oh, he smells divine._

Malfoy stepped back and smirked at her, folding his arms across his broad chest. "See you around, Granger." He walked out of the train car towards the end of the train.

Hermione stood there a moment longer, trying to calm her racing heart. _What had that been about? What happened this summer that changed him? Had he been hitting on her? What was going on?_ Her brain was in overdrive trying to puzzle out this new Draco Malfoy who didn't insult her, touched her voluntarily, and maybe flirted with her? She shook her head and opened her eyes again, the train car hallway was empty. No Malfoy in sight. She walked back to her compartment.

Ron had coaxed Harry into a game of Exploding Snap, and Harry even had a small smile on his face, which cheered Hermione up considerably.

"Alright, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking over his shoulder at her.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?" Hermione sat down next to Ron, closest to the compartment door.

"You were gone for a long time, almost ten minutes." Ron's hand exploded just then making a loud noise.

"Oh, I ran into a friend from Ravenclaw and we chatted for a bit," Hermione did not want to tell her friends about Malfoy's strange behavior. She didn't know if it was going to be a big deal or not, but her friends would latch onto it and talk it to death. She wasn't ready for that. She still didn't know how she felt about her most recent interaction with Malfoy so she didn't want to go repeating it to anyone. After the game of Exploding Snap ended, the mood in the compartment was considerably lighter. There was even some laughter as they approached the station in Hogsmeade.

As they were leaving the train, Harry told the group, "I am going to be right back, just have to check on something," with that he walked out of the compartment.

Hermione and Ron exchanged glances. "What was that about?" Hermione asked.

"He saw Malfoy acting shady in Diagon Alley a few days ago. He's been talking about it non stop, I bet he's gone to spy on him. He had his cloak wrapped up in his arms," Ron informed her.

Hermione rolled her eyes hard, "Seriously? He thinks Malfoy is up to something? Is this going to be his thing this year? You know the thing he obsesses about all year?"

Ron looked surprised, then thoughtful, then he laughed, "I reckon it is, it's something every year isn't it?"

Hermione and Ron left the train and waited at the carriages for Harry. They were the last students still there quarter of an hour later. All the carriages had gone, they would have to walk up to the school now.

"Should we go look for him?" Ron asked Hermione. Hermione huffed and nodded. They headed back for the train, they were near the last car so decided to start there. Halfway through that car, Ron tripped on something and fell. But he didn't land on the floor, he landed about a half a meter off the floor, it looked like he was hovering.

Hermione grasped his shoulder and pulled him up, then grabbed at the ground and caught hold of Harry's invisibility cloak. Harry was lying on the floor of the train, clearly he had been petrified and someone had broken his nose. Hermione ended the petrification spell and fixed his nose, while Ron offered a hand to help Harry up off of the floor.

"Alright, mate?" Ron asked peering closely at Harry.

"Malfoy," Harry sighed. "He found me and hexed me then stomped on my nose as payback for his father being in Azkaban. Apparently it's my fault that his father decided to break into the Department of Mysteries and wreak havoc. Maybe I ought to take blame for making him follow Voldemort in the first place back during the First Wizarding war, too?" Harry asked bitterly.

Hermione had gasped when she heard it was Malfoy who had attacked Harry. That at least was in Malfoy's character, unlike the interactions she had with him earlier in the day. _What is going on with him?_ It was so puzzling to her and she couldn't figure out his motivations. Prior to a few hours ago, Hermione had barely ever given Malfoy much thought. But now she couldn't seem to stop thinking about him.

"He's up to something, and I'm going to find out what it is," Harry told them. He had that determined look in his eye as he started for the castle. Hermione met Ron's gaze before they followed him up. Harry was not doing well and he would need watching or he was going to get himself in trouble trying to follow Malfoy around the castle.

By the time they reached the castle they had missed the sorting and start of term announcements. Luckily the Welcome Feast was still going on and they were able to get some dinner.

After dinner, Hermione and Ron helped direct the first years who had been sorted into Gryffindor to the tower and get them settled for bed. As Hermione entered her own room, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were in there already, gossiping away.

"Alright, Hermione?" Lavender asked sweetly. "Did you have a good summer?"

Hermione nodded and smiled as she began getting ready for bed. They didn't know anything about the Department of Mysteries and she was careful to keep her back to them so they wouldn't see the large scar she bore on her torso. It started at the top of her left breast, cut past her nipple and ended at her right hip bone. It was purple and raised and angry looking still. Madam Pomfrey had promised that it would fade in time, Hermione hoped so. She had never considered herself pretty before, but with the new scar she thought she was down right ugly. She had insisted on an entire new wardrobe for the school year so that all of her tops hid her scar completely. She didn't want anyone to see it.

After she had dressed, she opened her trunk and lined up the three evening potions she would have to take, she also brought out an empty water glass and cast the _Aguamenti_ charm to fill it. She downed each potion in one swallow and then chugged the glass of water. She filled it again and chugged it again to try and remove the foul taste the potions left in her mouth.

"That's a lot of potions to be taking, Hermione. What are they all for?" Parvati asked, her eyes were wide with concern.

"Oh, well, I was injured over the summer, so they are to help heal my injuries." Hermione kept the description vague, she didn't want or need anyone's sympathy nor did she want to explain in depth what exactly had happened.

"How was your summer?" Hermione asked both Lavender and Parvati. Lavender smiled and launched into a long tale about spending the summer at a wizarding beach and all the good looking boys she had met there. Parvati giggled and asked questions in all the right places, while Hermione smiled and nodded her encouragement, happy to not have to carry a conversation with her roommates. Hermione liked Lavender and Parvati well enough, they got along, but they weren't good friends. Which was fine with Hermione, Lavender and Parvati cared about boys and makeup and clothes. Hermione cared about school and defeating Voldemort.

After the three roommates had chatted for a while, Hermione felt her evening potions kicking in and bade them goodnight. She pulled the curtains around her bed and cast a silencing charm. She was happy to be back at the castle and able to perform magic. Her parents had had to sleep with earplugs over the summer because Hermione's nightmares woke them up so much. As she drifted off to sleep, the last thing she thought about was how intense Malfoy's eyes had been on the train.

* * *

 **A/N: The lovely twztdwildcat is the best beta! Also, I'm going to be MIA for the next week or so, which means no updates. Real life is getting in the way, so I wanted to get this chapter out now! Thanks again for all the lovely reviews! Seeing them in my inbox makes my day!**


	8. Chapter 8

_What in the bleeding hell was he doing standing outside of Scarhead's train compartment? Oh, that's right, Granger is in there. And bloody hell does she smell enchanting. Gods was he a creepy stalker or something? Oh, but her scent._ He was half hard already and he had only smelled her, he had gotten no closer than when they were in the same car for the prefect meeting _._

The trolley witch brushed passed him and he walked down the train car, he didn't want to get caught in this train car when she stopped at their compartment. He was heading back to his own compartment at the end of the train car. He had almost walked through the door to the next car when he caught another whiff of eau de Granger and turned around, looking longingly at her compartment. Suddenly, the compartment door opened, he stood still, like a deer startled in the forest. He wasn't sure if he should turn around and flee, or pretend he was going the other way when he saw Granger walk out of the door, she closed the door and leaned against the wall with her eyes closed, sighing heavily. He almost couldn't believe his luck, he was acting on pure instinct at the moment, there was not a rational thought in his head and he started walking toward her.

She turned and headed in his direction almost colliding with him, she would have if he hadn't grabbed her elbow to stop her momentum. She rocked back on her heels and looked up at him. He didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. His brain was completely blank as he looked down into her cinnamon colored eyes. _She's beautiful,_ he thought, right before she muttered an apology and brushed past him. He stood there for a moment, his brain registering that she had walked to the end of the car and entered the bathroom. _What? She's beautiful? Where in the hell had that come from? Get it together, Malfoy!_

He stood another moment, still undecided. He was still running on all instinct, his brain hadn't really caught up to what was going on with his body. He decided he had to talk to her, so he stood across from the bathroom door and waited for her to exit. This was about as private as they were going to get on this train and he was going to take advantage of his good luck.

He had been looking at his feet when he heard the bathroom door open and she gasped. When he looked up, he caught her gaze, he thought he recognized something in it, some kind of affinity. He breathed deep, inhaling her aroma. He said her name, almost unwittingly, it wasn't until she replied that he even realized what he had said.

"Malfoy, what can I do for you?" Her voice was cool, distant, and polite.

He almost groaned at the sound, "Don't you feel it? I was told you'd feel it too." _What was he doing? This is insane, she's going to think I am crazy._

And then she got angry with him, "What are you talking about? Feel what? Feel like shite because one of your father's little buddies almost killed me two months ago?" She spat at him. Her eyes were flashing and a blush crept up her neck and cheeks. _Gods, she's gorgeous when she blushes. Wait, what? When do I even think things like that?_ Then her comments registered, she was talking about his fucking father. Fuck her. He slammed a hand to the door behind her head and moved in close.

"Do not talk about my father." He was at his most pure-blood imperiousness, cold, detached. He towered over her small frame. She scowled up at him and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"You don't scare me, Malfoy," she bit out. _Oh, she is glorious when she's mad._ Her hair sparked with her anger. He closed his eyes for a moment and moved in closer to her, speaking directly into her ear, breathing the smell of her hair, _apples_.

"Maybe you should be scared, Granger. I've had a hell of a summer, I'm not the same person I was two months ago." He was savoring being this close to her, and his cock was throbbing with need. The sight of her flushed and angry was enchanting. Then he forced himself to step back out of her personal space. He smirked at her. "See you around, Granger." He turned and walked out of the train car and headed for the back of the train.

He stopped in the bathroom in the next car, the car right before the one he was sharing with his friends, to try and calm down and get himself under control. _What in the bleeding fuck had that been about?_ What was going on? Was this all due to the mate thing? This did not bode well for his year. He did not need another problem to deal with this year. Werewolf. Check. Figure out a way to kill Dumbledore. Check. The Dark Lord and company living in his house. Check. Wasn't that enough? Did he have to add navigating the mate waters with a mudblood to it? Not that he was much better than a mudblood, he was a half-breed after all. Draco banged his head against the door of the bathroom in frustration. _What the fuck am I going to do?_ Maybe he should have Fenrir meet him in Hogsmeade or something for the first Hogsmeade weekend. He certainly needed some kind of guidance from someone. Loathe as he was to admit it, right now Fenrir was his best bet.

 _Fuck, Malfoy, now you're relying on a savage fucking half-breed for your advice? Where in the hell did your life go?_ Draco cursed his father once more for putting him into this situation. It wasn't fair! Draco hadn't fucked up, he hadn't failed the Dark Lord! He hadn't even met the Dark Lord prior to this summer! And he's the one with all the problems. His father doesn't have to deal with them. _I'm sure Azkaban isn't much fun, but still he's sitting on his arse, while I'm the one attempting to clean up the mess he made. Fuck him._ Draco took a deep breath and walked out of the bathroom and back into the train compartment he was sharing with Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson.

Once he got into the train car, he sat down and scribbled out a note to Fenrir.

 _Fenrir,_

 _We need to talk, something important has come up. First Hogsmeade weekend will be third weekend in September. Meet me at the Hog's Head at noon._

 _D.M._

He opened his eagle owl's cage, "Come here, Maestro." Draco coaxed his owl out and tied the note to his leg. "Bring this to Fenrir," he whispered to the owl, not wanting his friends to over hear him. He opened the window of their compartment and let Maestro out to fly home.

"Draco, what was that about? You come tearing in here, not a word to anyone and are being very secretive," Pansy narrowed her eyes in suspicion at him. Not really what he wanted to deal with. Pansy was a friend, but they weren't dating like the rest of the school assumed. She was a friend that he had occasionally fucked. Pansy was in a betrothal contract with the Flint family, either Marcus or his younger brother, Marion, depending on how the next few years shook out. Draco had his own betrothal contract with the Greengrass family, Daphne or her sister, Astoria. _Guess that's gone then._ Thinking about marrying one of the Greengrass sisters had always disturbed him, they were pretty birds, sure, but on a level of crazy Draco hadn't seen until meeting his Aunt Bella earlier in the year. Despite the weird thing going on with Granger, Draco was a little relieved that he probably wouldn't have to marry one of the Greengrass sisters now.

"Don't worry about it, Pans," Draco tried to reassure Pansy. "Just some stuff that came up over the summer."

"Did you do it? Did you have to take the Mark?" Blaise asked, keeping his voice low.

Draco rolled up his left sleeve in reply. Both Blaise and Pansy looked wide eyed and sighed with some relief in seeing his pale forearm.

"How did you manage to escape it and not be dead?" Blaise asked.

Draco shrugged, "I had another punishment. I don't really want to talk about it." He looked out the window, hoping Blaise and Pansy would drop the subject.

The three friends passed the rest of the time on the way to Hogwarts catching up on each other's summers and gossiping. Pansy's father was a Death Eater and Draco had seen him around his house frequently over the summer. Blaise's father was dead and while his mother was a sympathizer, she wasn't a Death Eater herself.

As they approached the Hogsmeade station, Draco noticed that the door to their car opened and closed, but he didn't see anyone walk through. He suspected it was Potter. He knew about the invisibility cloak, he had known about it since their 4th year. He waved Blaise and Pansy on toward the carriages and told them he'd catch up to them. After his train car was completely empty, he walked through it looking for Potter. He finally heard him breathing, he was hiding up on a luggage rack. Draco grasped the cloak and gave it a tug and there was Potter, curled in a ball on the luggage rack looking at Draco with wide eyes. Potter jumped down off the luggage rack and brandished his wand at Draco. Draco already had his wand out, " _Petrificus Totalus,"_ he hissed.

Potter fell over, perfectly immobile, still looking at Draco with wide eyes. "Spying, Potter? Tsk, tsk." Draco stomped on Potter's nose. "It won't do to spy on your betters, Scarhead." Draco dropped the invisibility cloak back over Potter and walked out of the train car with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't so late that he still caught the same carriage as Pansy and Blaise. He saw Granger and the Weasel standing around, probably waiting for Potter and chuckled to himself, they'd be waiting a while.

* * *

The next few weeks passed quickly for Draco. He made himself stay as far away from Granger as he could, but they shared Defense and Potions. Those classes were the hardest, especially potions. He had a hard time concentrating with all of the smells in the room, his nose had become so sensitive. And with Granger only sitting a row in front of him, every time she tossed her hair he got another whiff of apples and cinnamon. He clenched his jaw and his fists and kept his head down whenever he was in the same room with her. He had to talk to Fenrir before he could act further with her.

The first Hogsmeade weekend arrived and Draco was ready to see Fenrir. He had gotten a terse note earlier in the week from him saying he'd be there. It was odd, Draco hadn't thought he would, but he kind of _missed_ Fenrir. He definitely missed Seff, and he missed his training sessions. He was glad that Quidditch had started back up, but it wasn't near as intense as what Rand and Seff had been putting him through. He had only had two full moons, and was nervous about the one coming up in the middle of next week.

Snape had been by to see him last week, he took him outside to the Whomping Willow and showed him a tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack. He knew there were tunnels leading from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, but had not known of that particular one. Then Snape let him in on a bigger secret.

"Lupin used the Shrieking Shack as a child to hide during full moons. It is set up for a werewolf to be kept safe from the rest of the population. And that is why it's considered one of the most haunted sites in England," Snape rolled his eyes as he pronounced this.

 _That made sense, at least I'm not the first werewolf attending Hogwarts._ Draco eyed the shack around him. It was dusty and dirty and looked like nobody had been in the shack in years. He wandered through and noticed that the windows and doors were impervious and there weren't any handles on the doors leading outside. _Good, killing humans will not happen in here._ He wondered if he could convince Tink to come and clean before the first full moon.

Snape told him he'd meet Draco in the shack the morning after the full moon to escort him back into the castle. Which, despite not trusting Snape very much, made Draco feel better. It hadn't occurred to him at first, but he missed the pack. He missed the loud and boisterousness of the pack. And the companionship of the pack. His pack he guessed, although he wasn't Beta yet. Hopefully, he could get Fenrir to spill on that today as well. Maybe even convince him to send someone to spend the full moon with him. Wolves were pack animals, the thought of not being with his pack during the full moon opened a hole in his heart.

Draco walked down to the village with Pansy and Blaise, he told them he had a meeting with one of his father's associates at the Hog's Head and he'd meet them later. Upon entering the Hog's Head he didn't see Fenrir anywhere, he had been in a time or two, and was always disgusted with how dirty it was. He did not order himself a drink, there was no way the glasses were clean and butterbeer didn't have enough alcohol in it to get a fly drunk, let alone clean a glass. He sat for a few minutes waiting on Fenrir to show up and eyeing the other patrons. There were a couple of old men at the bar, their beards so long they were tucked into their belts. And a shifty couple in one of the corners, he was pretty sure the woman with the hood up was actually a Hag.

Finally, Fenrir walked in the door, he checked out the rest of the joint before joining him. Draco stood when he walked in and Fenrir hugged him. Draco didn't respond for a moment, he was unused to getting hugs from other adult men, but he finally hugged Fenrir back. He hadn't known he missed his Alpha so much until Fenrir had hugged him. _What in the hell?_ The only way he could be feeling like this was due to being a werewolf. Draco did not have feelings like this to anyone other than his parents.

Fenrir released him with a hearty pat on the back, he shouted over his shoulder for the barkeep to bring him a firewhisky as he sat down in the chair across from Draco. He pulled out his wand and cast a _Muffliato_ around the table for privacy.

"Alright, pup? You are a sight for sore eyes, the rest of the pack is missing you something fierce." Draco raised an eyebrow at this pronouncement, but it warmed him to know that the others seemed to miss him as much as he was missing them.

"I am well," Draco answered, "So, missing the pack is normal?"

Fenrir grinned at him, his sharp pointy teeth showing, "Oh yes, part of the pack bond. We'll be sending a few people to the Shrieking Shack with you later this week. Can't have you changing on your own, it would be too stressful on a pup."

Draco sighed in relief, _thank the gods._ He had been terrified of having to change on his own.

"Wait, how do you know about the Shrieking Shack? Snape just told me about it earlier this week? Did you go to Hogwarts? Who do you plan to send?" The barkeep walked up at that point and plonked a bottle of cheap firewhisky and two glasses on the table in front of Fenrir.

"That's 7 galleons," he held out a grubby hand as Fenrir dropped them in his palm and waved him away. He poured himself a glass and asked Draco if he wanted some. Draco eyed the dirty glasses and shook his head. You couldn't pay him to drink out of that filth.

"You and the questions, pup. Snape and I have been owling. You know I went to Durmstrang. I'll probably come and I'll bring Arnou, Seff, and maybe Rand, haven't quite decided or asked any of them yet," Fenrir replied draining his glass. He set it on the table and refilled it. He raised his eyebrow at Draco. "You asked me here, pup. Made it sound like something important."

Draco sighed and blushed very slightly. This was so embarrassing, "IthinkIhaveamate," he rushed out.

"What was that? Didn't quite catch that, pup."

Draco huffed a breath, "I think I have a mate," he repeated very quietly.

Fenrir then did something Draco was not expecting. He laughed. And laughed. And laughed some more. He laughed so hard he almost fell out of his chair. He laughed so hard that his laughs turned into a coughing fit. He laughed so hard that the rest of the patrons were glaring at them. He laughed so hard and loud, his huge shoulders were shaking and his face turned red and tears were streaming down his face into his beard. Draco sank in his chair and his cheeks reddened.

"Oh, gods, you have to be fucking joking, pup." Fenrir had finally gotten control of himself.

"I wish I was, I haven't even told you who it is yet," Draco crossed his arms and huffed angrily, looking away from Fenrir and out the front window of the pub. He didn't care to be laughed at, and Fenrir might find this just fucking hilarious, but Draco didn't. This was serious and a complication he did not fucking need.

"That doesn't sound good, not family approved then? Is it a blood traitor? Half blood? Mudblood?" Fenrir poured himself another glass of firewhisky and drank it slowly.

"It's The Mudblood, Potter's best friend, Hermione Granger." It was one of the few times Draco had ever said her name aloud and he relished the chance to do so. Even while he was angry at himself for this situation to begin with.

"What's she smell like?" Fenrir raised his eyebrow at Draco and shook his dreads away from his face.

"Apples, cinnamon, fall leaves, and home. Gods she smells like home. I ran into her on the Hogwarts Express, but haven't spoken to her since. I was waiting to get some advice from you. It's been fucking torture." Draco's voice was pained and he clenched his fists together at the thought of her. His mate. This close to the full moon it was getting much harder to keep his distance.

"Oh, shite, that's a mate alright. You are fucked, pup." Fenrir ran his hands through his dreads and looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Well, nothing for it I suppose. You can't pick your mate. And your instincts will take over, it'll be worse if you ignore it. Fuck, not what you needed. I can't hardly believe a two month old pup has a mate," Fenrir chuckled to himself again.

"What does that mean?" Draco glared at him.

"It means that you already have a lot on your plate. You're a newly bitten werewolf, living in a castle without your pack nearby, your mum is essentially being held hostage by the Dark Lord, your dad is wasting away in Azkaban, you've basically been compelled to become my Beta, and you've been tasked with killing Dumbledore. When were you planning to tell me about that anyway?" Fenrir asked him coolly.

Apparently there were hidden depths to Fenrir. Every time Draco thought he had him figured out, he threw a curveball like that at him.

"How did you know about the task?" Draco asked carefully. He had been sure that Fenrir didn't know about it, he hadn't said anything prior to leaving for Hogwarts.

"How do you think, pup? I've been owling Snape." Fenrir sounded angry now. "When were you planning on telling me?" His voice was hard and cold and Draco could see that he was almost trembling with rage.

"It has nothing to do with you! It's my task, the Dark Lord gave it to me, it's part of the punishment for my father's failures last spring." Draco's voice was just as hard and cold. He glared at Fenrir.

"It damn well is my business, you are my pup. Mine. Do you understand? You belong to me first, you haven't taken the Dark Mark and if I can prevent it, you never will. That means you tell me fucking everything, do you understand?"

Draco nodded tightly. He wasn't sure he understood, but on some level that felt like an order that he would be compelled to obey.

"Good, what have you come up with so far?" Fenrir's voice had warmed up fractionally.

"I haven't," Draco's voice was still hard and cold and very small. He felt like a failure. He had had almost three months to think of ways to kill Dumbledore and nothing had occurred to him. The things that had were instantly nixed, he couldn't maul him in werewolf form. Draco knew he'd never be able to live with himself. And it's not like he could cast an _Avada_ in the Great Hall over breakfast. That would be a one way road to Azkaban or his own death.

Fenrir sighed heavily, "Of course you haven't. Fucking madman giving a pup a task like this. This isn't a fucking task, Draco, it's a death sentence."

Draco nodded, he had come to that realization, but had still hoped there might be a way out. "So I'm properly fucked then? I'll get killed trying to kill Dumbledore?"

"Not necessarily, just because you haven't thought of anything doesn't mean I haven't. Snape tells me there's a vanishing cabinet in the Come and Go Room. It's broken, but its pair is in Borgin and Burkes. Fix it, let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and one of us can take care of killing Dumbledore. Should be close enough to being your plan that the Dark Lord will let it pass." Fenrir downed the last of his firewhisky and sent the bottle back to the bar.

"You make it sound so simple," Draco replied sullenly.

Fenrir chuckled at his petulance, "Of course it won't be easy. You have to fix the cabinet first. Then figure out a time Dumbledore will be in the castle. And you'll be the arsehole kid forever known for letting Death Eaters in Hogwarts. Sorry, pup, nothing in your life is going to be easy for the time being. Talk to Snape about fixing the cabinet, he should be able to help."

Draco nodded again and looked down at the table. He didn't like the idea of asking Snape for anything, but he supposed he would have to in this. He had no idea how vanishing cabinets worked. All he knew is that they were temperamental and had fallen out of fashion after the end of the First Wizarding War.

"What am I supposed to do about my mate? I can barely stand to be in the same room with her without wanting to fuck her silly," Draco told Fenrir quietly. He was embarrassed to be talking about this, but this had been why he wanted to meet with Fenrir.

"Let's get out of here for this, pup." Fenrir stood and Draco followed. They left the pub and walked along the back alley of Hogsmeade until they were on the outskirts of the village on the far side away from Hogwarts.

"You are going to have to approach her. The more you interact with her, the more your pheromones rub off and the more attracted to you she will become. I told you the mate bond works both ways. She won't fully recognize it until you're bonded, but even now it pulls on her. She's probably been thinking about you for weeks, not knowing why. Have you caught her looking at you?"

Draco nodded.

"I thought so, you have to interact with her. If you don't, you will explode as the moon comes and do something you will regret. Try to find her today if you can, if you get a kiss in, even better. Having a mate around the full moon is ideal, helps burn off some of that restless energy beforehand if you know what I mean," Fenrir winked at him lasciviously. "After the full moon, a cuddle with your mate is almost better than sleeping all day. Don't ask me how it works, it just does. Something to do with pheromones I'm guessing."

Draco nodded once more. "So, I have to try and kiss her, and get close to her. Should I sleep with her? Bond with her? How much should I explain to her? How do I explain it to her? What if she doesn't like me? I can't force her."

"Gods you and your damned questions. Yes to the first two. You should explain what you can depending on the questions she asks. Do you think she'll ask you as many questions as you ask me?" Fenrir shook his head at him.

"Probably," Draco smirked.

Fenrir laughed again, "No I wouldn't force her, it's not your style. And really, you won't have to. The pheromones work on her too, she'll be unable to resist you. But you have to spend time with her, reinforce the bond that's forming."

Draco nodded, it made sense. Bonds had to be reinforced, renewed in order to keep them in working order. He knew that. Marriage bonds worked similarly. He didn't relish the idea of being tied to a mudblood, but it looked like he was stuck with it. Probably easier to go along to get along. And maybe she would know about fixing the vanishing cabinet, she was dead clever after all, top of their year and all that. He'd have to think about that some more.

Just then one of the old men from the bar walked by them on his way out of the village, he spat at Fenrir muttering, "Filthy fucking half-breed."

Fenrir's relaxed demeanor changed in an instant. He growled so deeply, Draco could feel it in his chest. Fenrir grabbed the old man by his throat and lifted him so that his feet dangled off the ground. This was the savage beast Draco had known prior to being bitten. He was almost afraid, looking at Fenrir swinging the old man by his throat.

"Say that to my face, fucking peasant," Fenrir growled at the old man, shaking him. He held him one-handed and hadn't even broken a sweat that Draco could tell.

The old man whimpered and pissed himself. "Disgusting," Fenrir dropped him then and the old man collapsed on the ground. Fenrir aimed a kick at his ribs as the old man crawled away.

"Fucking peasant, doesn't know a gods damned thing," Fenrir muttered under his breath. He ran his hands through his dreads, breathing deeply.

"Alright, Alpha?" Draco asked, his voice bland and respectful.

Fenrir sucked in a breath through his nose and turned to look at Draco. His gaze was level and measuring.

"Pup, that was well done. You sounded like a proper Beta there," Fenrir told him. Draco was surprised. He hadn't been trying to sound like a Beta, he was just trying to diffuse the tension in the air. It was too close to the full moon, neither of them had their heads on straight.

"I'm fine, pup. Just hate being denigrated by rubbish," Fenrir breathed deeply for a few moments. "I want to meet your mate as soon as possible. I want to see her today."

Draco was gob smacked, _why does he want to meet her? It's bad enough she's my mate, but now my Alpha wants to meet her?_

"Why?" Draco asked carefully.

"Because, she's your mate, that means she's pack. I need to know who to look out for. We are in a war and she's on the other side, isn't she?" Fenrir raised his eyebrow at Draco. _I should have known that,_ Draco thought.

"Of course, I can point her out to you. We might be able to meet her. Depends on where we run into her. She sticks pretty close to Potter and the youngest Weasleys." Draco scrubbed a hand down his face. He turned back toward the village and started walking toward the bookshop. That was the best place to find Granger he figured. He could hear Fenrir behind him. He hoped his Alpha would be able to keep his temper, he was really fucking scary when he lost it.

As they got closer to Tomes and Scrolls, Draco saw Granger bidding farewell to Potter and Weasley. She headed into Tomes and Scrolls by herself while Potter and Weasley continued on toward Zonko's. _Perfect, she'll be by herself. I might even get a chance to talk to her._ Draco motioned Fenrir forward and they entered Tomes and Scrolls as well.

Granger had already disappeared into the stacks, she was nowhere in sight when Draco walked in. He turned to Fenrir, "That was her who just walked in. Let's see if we can find her."

He started wandering through the aisles piled haphazardly with books looking for his mate. _His mate? When did that happen?_ He logically knew she was his mate, Fenrir confirmed it. But he had never thought of her has his. He'd had one tiny little conversation with her all year! How could she be his? He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that he was about to bowl his mate right over and would have if Fenrir hadn't grabbed the back of his robes and pulled him back.

"Watch out, pup, there's a lady in the aisle," Fenrir lightly growled in his ear. Draco reddened and straightened himself pulling his cloak free from Fenrir's grasp. Granger looked up at the pair of them and raised an eyebrow.

"Granger," Malfoy said. "Enjoying Hogsmeade?" _What? Could I be any more inane?_

"Malfoy," she replied, her voice polite, but her eyes narrowed. "I am. And you? Who is your friend?"

"Allow me," Fenrir jumped in and grasped Granger's hand that had been hanging at her side. He brushed his lips along her knuckles, the sight of which made a hot flare of jealousy roil through Draco. "I'm Fenrir Greyback. An associate of Draco's." His voice was deep and melodic. He sounded like he was flirting. _Why is he flirting?_ The jealousy flared hotter. He bumped Fenrir's shoulder to get him to drop Granger's hand. He growled at Fenrir. Fenrir just raised an eyebrow at Draco and smirked.

"Associate? Are you also a Death Eater?" Granger asked her voice falsely innocent.

"Granger!" Draco shouted at her. _Was she really this fucking stupid?_ "That isn't a question you ask in polite company." Fenrir just laughed.

"The pup isn't a Death Eater, don't worry about that Miss Granger." Fenrir smirked at them both. "I must be on my way, look for my owl tomorrow, Draco." Fenrir whirled around and left the shop.

Granger looked questioningly at Draco. "What was that about, Malfoy?"

"I have no idea, he wanted to meet you," Draco rubbed the back of his neck. He was not ready to deal with this. But he needed to follow Fenrir's advice, ignoring Granger hadn't worked and the full moon was four days away. He could feel Reule pacing in the back of his mind.

"Why would he want to meet me?" She asked him. She had moved closer to him, he didn't know if it was consciously or not, but he wasn't going to complain if she wanted to get closer to him.

"No idea," Draco muttered again. He leaned forward slightly and breathed deep, _cinnamon, apples, mmm._

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" Granger looked up at him, alarm written on her face.

"Are you feeling it today, Granger?" He asked her instead of answering her question. He reached out and tugged one of her curls, then brushed them behind her ear.

"What is it? I haven't been able to get you out of my mind," she admitted, she leaned closer to him. Looking up at him with her wide brown eyes.

"It's the bond," Draco whispered. Her mouth was pursed and as he glanced down her pink tongue came out and wet her lips. He groaned. That was more erotic than she probably knew. He leaned down, his breath ghosting over her lips. "May I?" he whispered.

She nodded and closed her eyes. He pressed his lips to hers. _Oh gods, her lips are so soft._ He flicked his tongue against the seam of her lips, tasting her, wanting her to open up. Her own tongue met his when the bell over the door to the shop rang, breaking them out of whatever spell had enthralled them both.

She jumped back from him, her eyes wide. "'Mione? You still in here?" He heard the Weasel call out.

Draco closed his eyes and sighed for a moment. He opened them and Granger was still looking at him with wonder on her face. She had the fingertips of one hand pressed to her lips as if she had burnt herself. He bowed slightly to her, "Granger." He whirled around and left the store, brushing past Potter and the Weasel on his way out.

As he walked back to the Three Broomsticks to meet up with Pansy and Blaise he thought about what Fenrir had said. He felt good about the little kiss he had shared with Granger. He could feel his bond to her, it was stronger than it had been. So Fenrir was right about that. The bond had to be renewed. And renewing the bond would make him feel better. He felt calmer than he had all week and had really only spent ten minutes with Granger. He would have to make it a point to continue running into her. They only had a couple of classes together, but he knew she studied in the library most nights of the week, maybe he'd seek her out there. He felt better knowing he had some plans in place. Fix the vanishing cabinet and spend more time with Granger. He could do that. Maybe this werewolf thing wouldn't be so bad. He walked into the Three Broomsticks with a bounce in his step.

* * *

Tonight was the full moon, Draco had been edgy all day, he was just glad it was Wednesday and he didn't have any classes with Granger. After their kiss on Saturday he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to control himself around her. Fenrir was meeting him at the Shrieking Shack and Snape was planning to walk him out there. He was due at Snape's office at promptly at seven this evening.

"Draco, where are you off to?" Blaise asked him as he passed by on his way out of the common room to meet Snape. _Fuck, I did not think this through._ Draco ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at his friend.

"I have an appointment with our Head of House, I'll be back later," he gave Blaise a tight smile and rushed out of the common room before any other questions could be asked. He knew he would eventually have to figure out something to tell his friends, they weren't completely thick. They would figure out something was going on, and if any of them were still taking astronomy they would catch on rather quickly.

He berated himself on his way to Snape's office for not thinking about something to tell his friends. He also needed to have a chat with Snape about spilling secrets to Fenrir. While he was a little relieved that the Dumbledore thing was mostly out of his hands, he did not appreciate being talked about behind his back, or worse, coddled. He knocked on Snape's office door and it clicked open after a moment. Draco pushed it all the way open and shut the door behind him. He stood before Snape's desk. Snape was marking papers, not looking at Draco. He waved him to take one of the seats in front of his desk. Draco sat stiffly, waiting for Snape to look at him. When he continued marking for several minutes, Draco cleared his throat. Snape still ignored him. Finally, Draco couldn't hold it in, he exploded.

"Listen, Snape, you…"

"Professor Snape," Snape interjected blandly finally looking up at Draco, his left eyebrow raised.

Draco glared at him, "Professor Snape," he bit out. "I don't have time to wait on you, unless you want a werewolf in your office, I suggest we get going. And while we're talking about werewolves, what in the bleeding hell do you think you are doing talking to Fenrir behind my back?" Draco's hands were clenched and his cheeks began to redden with anger.

Snape snorted, "I think I am your godfather, I've taken an oath to protect you, do you forget? I will do what is necessary to protect my godson."

Draco huffed, "It's not like you ever act like my godfather, how in the bleeding fuck am I supposed to know you're acting as a godfather and not one of the Dark Lord's minions?"

Snape arched his eyebrow again. He folded his hands on his desk and leveled Draco with a stare. "Draco, just because I am a loyal follower of the Dark Lord, does not mean that I won't do what I can to protect you. I made a binding oath to your parents on your name day. That oath still holds, despite the oath I've made to the Dark Lord. Besides, you are not a killer. You need help with this task. You should be thanking me."

Draco growled at Snape, he knew he was right, but that didn't mean he would have to admit it. He threw up his hands and paced toward the door. "We should get going." He pulled the door open and walked out into the hallway.

Snape got up from his desk and followed. They were silent as they left the castle and walked out onto the grounds. It was late September, so the sun was just beginning to set and had the castle and grounds lit in a golden-red light. When they reached the Whomping Willow, Snape froze the tree and then walked up and hit a knot at the base of it. That opened the trapdoor and Draco nodded at Snape before hopping down into the tunnel. Snape didn't follow.

Draco proceeded to the Shrieking Shack, when he pushed the trap door up on the other end of the tunnel he could hear voices. Definitely Fenrir and he wasn't sure on the others.

"Draco! Finally, we were worried we would miss you," Mingan said as Draco climbed through the trapdoor. He looked around, in addition to Fenrir and Mingan, Seff and Rand were also both there.

"Seff! Rand! Good to see you both," Draco called. Seff bounced over and gave him a hug, surprising Draco into a laugh. Rand slapped him on the back a couple of times, grinning at him.

"Pack's missed you, pup," Fenrir told him. At that point, the sun sank below the horizon. All five wolves felt a shudder roll through them that meant the change was close. They began stripping so as not to tear their clothes. This was only Draco's third change, so it still took him by surprise. He was in agony as his hands grew fur and his bones each broke and regrew into a new shape. Once he was finally done, several minutes later, he could feel that Reule hadn't shoved him back as he had before.

" _When are you going to make a move on our mate?"_ Reule asked him.

 _Our mate?_ Draco questioned, he had grudgingly accepted that Granger was his mate, but how did Reule fit into that?

" _Yes,_ _ **our**_ _mate. We're the same, Fenrir's told you that. She's ours. If you don't make a move, and make one soon. I will."_

 _What does that mean, that you'll make a move? You can only take over during the full moon._ Draco was pretty sure that was correct. He just heard Reule laughing as he was shoved into the back corner. He had a tiny window that he could see what was going on, but nothing else and he was stuck for the rest of the night.

* * *

Sunlight was filtering through a very dirty window, shining right into Draco's right eye. He groaned and rolled over. That's when he realized he was naked and lying on the floor. _What happened?_ Oh, full moon. That's what happened. He sat up and could see the other four werewolves were slowly stirring for the day as well. He scrubbed his hands down his face, trying to wake himself up. Seff was the first off the ground, he went around and offered a hand to everyone else. He patted Draco on the back after helping him to his feet. Draco found his pile of clothes from the night before and gingerly started dressing. He didn't think he'd ever get used to the change.

"Alright, pup, we're off. Write me this week, we still need to discuss your mate," Fenrir told him and pulled him into a hug. Draco hugged him back, he didn't want to, but he knew he would miss his Alpha and his pack. He shook hands with Mingan and Rand thanking them for spending their full moon with him in a dingy shack. Seff gave him a hug and pat on the back. Draco then headed to the trapdoor and the tunnel back to Hogwarts.

Snape was waiting for him at the end of the tunnel, he offered him a hand as he clambered up and beyond the magically frozen Whomping Willow. Snape waved his hand and the tree shivered as if caught in a cold breeze and began moving again. Snape led him back to the castle, the further they walked, the slower Draco got. How had he never noticed how huge Hogwarts grounds and castle was? Finally they were at the infirmary.

"Madam Pomfrey knows and is under strict patient confidentiality rules, she's the only other person other than me in Hogwarts who is aware of your condition," Snape muttered to him as they stood outside the infirmary doors. Draco nodded and pushed the doors open.

"Oh, you poor dear, come here, come here," Madam Pomfrey waved him over to a bed, she had the sheets pulled down and the side table held several potions bottles and a full English breakfast.

"Eat, Mr. Malfoy, eat, then take each of these potions and sleep. I'll pull the curtain for privacy, dear." She proceeded to run diagnostics while he ate. She seemed satisfied with what she found and patted his shoulder, pulling the curtains closed. Once he had eaten his fill and drank his potions, he promptly passed out.

When he woke up, he could tell it was evening based on how the light came through the huge windows at the end of the ward. He coughed and made to sit up.

"Here, let me," a quiet voice said next to him. He wasn't expecting anyone to be there, and turned and stared into the warm brown eyes of Granger. He breathed deep, inhaling her intoxicating scent, just having her near him calmed him, and he felt more relaxed _._ She moved the pillows behind him so he could sit easier and poured him a glass of water.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, sipping at his water glass. She sat back down in her chair and folded her hands on her lap.

"Since you didn't show up for any classes or meals, I came by after dinner. It's just ended," she replied.

"Why are you here?" he asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer, but he felt like he needed to hear it.

"Is this what you meant when you said you had a 'hell of a summer'?" She asked in reply. He didn't know what she meant. Surely she hadn't figured out that he was a werewolf. Had she?

"I don't know what you're talking about, Granger," he began and she cut him off.

"It's the day after the full moon, Malfoy." She was calm as could be, he couldn't read anything off of her.

"Thanks for the astronomy lesson," he snarked.

Granger huffed, "Listen, Malfoy, I came by with your assignments because you weren't in class. Do you want them?"

Draco was confused, he thought they were talking about something else, and she was offering him her notes? What was going on?

"Sure, I'll take them," Draco said slowly. Granger dug through her bag and handed a copy of her notes to him for each of his classes for the day. She stood to leave then.

"I'll give them to you next month too," she said over her shoulder as she pulled his curtain aside and walked out of the infirmary.

Draco stared after her, his mouth hanging open. _How in the bleeding hell had she figured out he was a werewolf so fast?_ He knew she was clever, she beat him in every class, but there had only been one full moon this year! She shouldn't have been able to figure it out so quickly. He knew she could keep her mouth shut, she had about her little club with Potter and Weasel last year. He just hoped that she would keep her mouth shut about him too.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat! She's the best! Also, since it was a super long wait, you all got a super long chapter! Chapter 9 will be up shortly. Reviewing makes my heart happy! Having a happy heart makes me want to write!**


	9. Chapter 9

The first few weeks of Hermione's sixth year were about as normal as they could be. Harry was still obsessing over Malfoy, but Malfoy's movements were normal. He wasn't wandering the castle at odd times or acting furtive at all. Despite the evidence, Harry was convinced that something fishy was going on.

It didn't help that Hermione couldn't get Malfoy out of her mind since the incident on the train. What had he meant by having changed over the summer? She was watching him almost as much as Harry was. She couldn't figure him out. He stayed out of their way and he didn't even bother insulting Harry and Ron. He was still a prat, he had broken Harry's nose on the train, but he hadn't called her a name or been mean to her at all. It was a puzzle.

She walked to Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron, it was a glorious fall day. The sun was shining and it was warm, leaves were occasionally falling from the trees that lined the grounds and village. _A perfect day,_ Hermione thought. She linked her arms with Ron and Harry as they chatted happily about the places they wanted to visit in the village.

"I need to go to Tomes and Scrolls," Hermione told them. "I have a book on order and I'd like to browse their new section."

"I'm shocked, Hermione Granger _needs_ to go to a bookstore," Ron teased laughing with Harry.

"So funny, Ronald," Hermione huffed at them both, until Harry started tickling her ribs and she laughed. She was so happy Harry was in a good mood today. They were few and far between, and since Malfoy hadn't been acting very suspicious, he seemed to have even relaxed a bit on that front. She grinned as they entered the village and headed to Honeydukes. She needed more Sugar Quills, they were her guilty pleasure. They browsed Honeydukes for a while before making their purchases and moving on. She was in such a good mood that she even went into Quality Quidditch Supplies with the boys. Usually that was the point they would split up, but she was relishing being with her friends today.

When they had finished at Quality Quidditch Supplies, Hermione bid Harry and Ron goodbye as she went into Tomes and Scrolls. She promised them she would be quick. They were planning to meet at Three Broomsticks in a while for a butterbeer and some lunch.

She wandered through the aisles of Tomes and Scrolls, breathing deeply the smell of new books and old parchment. It was one of her favorite smells. She was dimly aware of the door bell tinkling, signaling that another patron had entered the shop. She was in the new arrivals section browsing for a new book on Arithmancy. The longer she studied the subject, the more fascinated she became. She was even considering getting her mastery and making a career of it. She had found an Arithmancy book and was reading the back cover when she noticed movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and saw Malfoy and someone she didn't know heading her way. Malfoy's friend was huge, he stood half a head taller than Malfoy, who was tall to begin with, and he was so broad at the shoulder she wondered if he had to sidle through doorways sideways.

"Watch out, pup, there's a lady in the aisle," the stranger told Malfoy. Interestingly, Malfoy got bright red when he looked up and saw her. Hermione was amused at his apparent embarrassment and raised an eyebrow at them. She breathed deeply, _oh, there it was._ She had been smelling an elusive scent at Hogwarts for weeks now, it was always just out of range. But now with Malfoy and this stranger standing in front of her it was strong and she could finally identify it. It smelled like spring grass, fresh parchment, spearmint toothpaste, and home. _That's strange, why does Malfoy smell like home?_ She realized that Malfoy had just spoken her name. He had to be playing some kind of trick on her, she narrowed her eyes at him. _Why does he care about whether I'm enjoying Hogsmeade? What is going on with him?_

"Malfoy. I am. And you? Who is your friend?" She asked him, pulling the Arithmancy book close to her chest with one arm.

"Allow me," the stranger said. He grabbed her other hand and gave it a light kiss along her knuckles. He must have had a static charge built up and he shocked her as his lips touched her knuckles. "I'm Fenrir Greyback. An associate of Draco's." He told her, still holding her hand. His eyes were dark and fierce and his voice was melodic and smooth. Fenrir Greyback? Where had she heard that name before? She knew she didn't know him, had never met him, but the name was familiar. That was when Fenrir abruptly dropped her hand because Malfoy rammed him with his shoulder. Did Malfoy just growl?

"Associate? Are you also a Death Eater?" she asked. She was trying to get a rise out of them both. This was one of the oddest exchanges she had had in the wizarding world. Something was up and she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Malfoy shouted at her then, telling her she wasn't fit for polite company. Ah, here are the insults. This she could handle, she was used to insults. Greyback laughed at Malfoy's reaction and spoke up.

"The pup isn't a Death Eater, don't worry about that Miss Granger. I must be on my way, look for my owl tomorrow, Draco." He gave a short bow and left the shop in a whirl of robes. Pup? What a weird nickname. What is going on?

"What was that about, Malfoy?" She asked looking up at him. When she locked eyes with him she could feel something pulling at her. _Oh, he does smell incredible,_ she thought not for the first time. She missed part of what Malfoy was saying because she was concentrating on his smell, and the heat pouring off of him. She moved closer, not realizing it.

"He wanted to meet you." Malfoy rubbed the back of his neck. _Was he nervous?_

"Why would he want to meet me?" She moved closer again, trying to keep her voice down. She had a sudden thought that she had been gone too long from Harry and Ron and they would come looking for her. Malfoy muttered something under his breath and tilted his face towards hers.

"What are you doing, Malfoy?" she asked. This was not normal. Not normal at all. Malfoy wasn't nice to her, he didn't go around introducing her to his "associates" let alone his friends. And he certainly didn't get looks like this on his face. He looked like he wanted to kiss her! _Oh, I bet he tastes as good as he smells. Wait, what? Where did that come from?_ She shook her head, trying to focus.

"Are you feeling it today, Granger?" he asked her. He reached one long fingered hand toward her face, she thought he was going to touch her cheek but he must have thought better of it and pulled a curl instead. Then he brushed her curls behind her shoulder. She breathed his smell in, it was exhilarating. She couldn't think straight, she realized she did want him to kiss her. _Why would I want that?_ This was the longest exchange they had ever had in six years of knowing each other and suddenly she wanted to snog? _What is wrong with me?_

"What is it? I haven't been able to get you out of my mind," she leaned closer and locked eyes with him. His pupils were blown wide, _no way he's on drugs. Is he? Aroused?_

"It's the bond," he whispered to her. _Bond? What bond?_ She couldn't understand. What was he talking about? He leaned closer and his breath swept over her face, _spearmint toothpaste._ "May I?" he asked. She nodded and closed her eyes without thinking. He pressed his lips so gently to hers that at first she didn't think he was even touching her. When his hand dived to the back of her neck to hold her there is when she realized he was kissing her and his tongue was seeking entrance. She opened her mouth and darted her own tongue out to meet his as the kiss deepened. She didn't even hear the bell ring, but suddenly Malfoy stepped back from her and she jumped back, startled.

"'Mione? You still in here?" Ron called out. Her lips were tingling, she raised her hand to cover them and looked at Malfoy in wonderment. What was that? She couldn't say she regretted it. It had been an wonderful kiss, maybe even too short. She wanted another go. _What? What is going on with me? Since when do I want to kiss Malfoy?_

"Granger," he said farewell with a bow and left the store. She stood there a moment more until Harry and Ron walked down the aisle.

"There you are!" Harry called. "Didn't you hear us calling for you?"

"Hi Harry, Ron. Sorry, I was reading this new Arithmancy book," she said vaguely, and turned the book around to show them. She knew as soon as she started talking school they would tune her out.

"That's great, ready to go to the Three Broomsticks?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded and headed to the counter to pick up her book on hold and purchase the Arithmancy book. She was still puzzling over Malfoy. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? And what had been the deal with Fenrir Greyback? Why was that name familiar to her? She was going to have to do some thinking. If only she could remember who Fenrir Greyback was, she would be able put some of the pieces together. She made her purchases and followed the boys to the pub for a butterbeer.

* * *

The evening of the Hogsmeade trip Hermione had received a letter from Remus Lupin. She wrote him regularly - he was a trusted adult, willing to write back, and he had the time for her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were lovely, but they had seven kids to worry after and she didn't want to bother them. She and Remus discussed everything from magical theory to wizarding world history and etiquette. Remus was able to tell her things she wouldn't know about because she was a muggleborn.

She also wrote him to discuss Harry. Since Sirius' death a few months ago, she had been increasingly worried. Remus was his last link to his parents and she wanted both Harry and Remus to stay in contact with each other. They needed each other, whether they realized it or not. Maybe Remus will know who Fenrir Greyback is? She had just completed her letter back to him when she had that thought. She added a postscript asking Remus if he had ever heard of someone with that name and headed to the owlery to send her letter off. Hopefully she would be getting an answer from him soon, before Dumbledore sent him out on Order business again.

The rest of the weekend was a flurry of homework, and then it was Monday again. They had double potions with the Slytherins first thing on Mondays. Potions was a class that Hermione had typically looked forward to, despite Professor Snape's poor treatment of Gryffindors, particularly of her, Ron, and Harry. Hermione didn't have much of a knack for potions, but she was fascinated by the subject. She had to work hard to maintain a good grade in that class, and that didn't change with Professor Slughorn now teaching potions. Harry had found a book, apparently owned by someone calling themselves the "Half-Blood Prince", whatever that meant. It seemed like a brilliant potions manual, allegedly improving upon many of the recipes. Harry was beating Hermione in potions and she could hardly stand it. She had tried telling him to not trust a book, look what happened to Ginny back in second year! She had shouted at him one night. Harry had brushed it off, insisting he was just following the updated directions on potions, not anything else. That is, except for the _Muffliato_ spell, but that was dead useful. Even Hermione could agree to that, despite her feelings of unease about the whole situation.

When they walked into the potions room, Professor Slughorn had three cauldrons set up in the front, each had a potion in it. Professor Slughorn called on the class, asking if anyone knew what any of the potions were. Hermione raised her hand, she recognized them as Draught of Living Death, Amortentia, and Veritaserum. Professor Slughorn talked a bit about each of the potions, then he asked Hermione to smell Amortentia and tell the class what she thought it smelled like. He told them that it would smell differently to each of them.

"It smells like fresh parchment, spring grass, spearmint toothpaste, and-" Professor Slughorn cut her off.

"Excellent, Miss Granger, excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor," he continued on with his lecture, then had the class make the Draught of Living Death. Hermione had a bit of trouble with her potion, Harry's was perfect of course, due to the Half-Blood Prince's instructions. In the end she was able to finish the potion with an Acceptable.

While she was brewing she concentrated fully on the potion. But now that it was lunchtime she thought over what Professor Slughorn had said about Amortentia. He said it would smell like your 'true love', she hadn't finished what she was going to say in the classroom and she was glad that Professor Slughorn had stopped her. She had been awfully close to saying Malfoy's name, because the other scent she smelled in the Amortentia had been the smell of Malfoy's cologne. _Was this because of the kiss they had shared? How did one kiss make Malfoy her 'true love'?_ _It didn't make sense._ She hadn't been able to stop thinking about him and the kiss they shared most of the weekend. She had so many questions and not near enough answers. _What bond had Malfoy been talking about? And why did Fenrir Greyback call him a pup? Who was Fenrir Greyback? Who was he to Malfoy? Why did he want to meet her?_

She let out a low growl of frustration. Hopefully Remus knew who Fenrir Greyback was and would reply to her quickly. She felt that this Fenrir Greyback was the key to unraveling the mystery with Malfoy. _Gods, I hope this thing with Malfoy is temporary._ She didn't even want to begin to contemplate the ramifications if Malfoy turned out to be her one 'true love'. How messed up was that? She wasn't even sure she believed in this 'true love' nonsense. Pure-blood king of Slytherin himself, meant to be with her? The idea was laughable, absurd even. And yet, that kiss had been divine. Hermione wasn't overly experienced, but she had been kissed by a few different boys. And none of them had felt like Malfoy's kiss had. She had also never obsessed over another boy like she had been obsessing over Malfoy the last few weeks.

* * *

A few days later, Hermione had received a reply from Remus and everything clicked into place. Fenrir Greyback was the werewolf that bit Remus. Which meant he called Malfoy pup because he had probably bit Malfoy. And that could explain why he wasn't a Death Eater yet, because he had either been assigned a different role or something. She hadn't quite worked that part out yet. Remus was curious as to why Hermione was asking about Greyback. She didn't want to worry him, so she planned to tell Remus she had heard one of the Slytherins was talking about him in the hallway. The timing was good, it was a full moon tonight, so she would just have to see if Malfoy showed up in any of their classes or for meals tomorrow. If he didn't, he was probably a werewolf.

So what did that have to do with a bond? There wasn't much written on werewolves, she had scoured the library back in third year when she figured out that Remus was a werewolf. All she had found was the same dry facts touted in her Defense book. There had been more written about Veela's and Vampires than she could find about werewolves. She had asked Remus a few years ago, but he hadn't known any more than her. From what she remembered, Remus had said that Greyback was a very angry man. He had said that Greyback's goal was to create a werewolf army so large that it would be able to overthrow the wizarding world. Hermione shuddered at the thought. Werewolves during the full moon were terrifying creatures. She remembered all too well in her third year when Remus had lost track of time and turned. Had Greyback's goals changed? What would have made them change? While some of her questions were answered, she just had more.

There was nothing for it, she would have to wait and see what happened tomorrow. She didn't have any classes with Malfoy today, so she only saw him at meal times and was too far away to see if he looked as tired as Remus usually did before a full moon. After dinner, she spent some time in the common room with Harry and Ron before heading up to the girls dorm to get ready for bed. She liked to get up to her dorm well before Lavender and Parvati came up, it gave her time to dress in peace and take her potions without any more questions. She had about another month of potions to take and as long as she was cleared by Madam Pomfrey, she'd be done. She couldn't wait to be done. It felt like she had been on potions half her life, when it had only been half a year. Still, she should be thankful she was alive. Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape still weren't able to identify what curse she had been hit with. Professor Snape assumed it was a curse Dolohov had created himself. Which meant there was likely no known counter-curse.

* * *

The day after the full moon dawned bright and clear. It was a completely normal day in all respects, except that Malfoy wasn't in any of her classes. She was pretty sure this confirmed her suspicion of him being bitten by Greyback over the summer. She planned to go to the infirmary after dinner and see if he was there. Remus usually slept most of the day away, only rising at dusk. Hermione assumed it would be similar for Malfoy.

After dinner was over, she told Harry and Ron she had to run an errand and she'd meet them in the common room. She copied her notes for the day with the _Geminio_ charm. When she entered the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey wasn't in sight, but there was a curtain pulled at a far bed. She peeked behind it and found Malfoy sleeping peacefully. She sat down in the chair beside the bed to wait for him to wake up. She hoped she would be able to get at least a few answers out of him.

It had only been a few minutes when he started to stir. She stood quickly and helped him into a sitting position, moving some pillows around and pouring him a glass of water.

"How long have you been here?" His voice was hoarse, probably a combination of sleeping all day and screaming during the change. She had only ever seen Remus change once, but it had looked incredibly painful. And if she was right, Malfoy had only been a werewolf for a couple of months. He was probably not used to it yet. Despite the rough night he clearly had, he was still Malfoy, which meant he was good to look at. His hair was brushed back from his face and was longer than it had been the last time she was this close to him. It was getting to be just below his ears. It looked soft and silky. The exact opposite of her own hair, she wondered what it would feel like to touch it.

She told him that dinner had just ended and that she noticed he wasn't present for any classes or meals during the day. She wanted to see what he would say to that. Would he try to lie to her? He evaded instead.

"Why are you here?"

She wasn't going to let him get away with evading her that easily. "Is this what you meant when you said you had a 'hell of a summer'?" Clearly, she needed to be more direct with him.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Granger," Malfoy started, but she cut him off.

"It's the day after the full moon, Malfoy," she worked hard to keep her voice calm and her face blank. He snarked back at her about an astronomy lesson. That's when she lost her patience. She offered him a copy of her notes from the day in a huff. If he wasn't going to have a productive conversation with her, she wasn't going to stick around.

She handed him her notes and stood to leave. Before she walked through the curtain she faced him again. "I'll give them to you next month too." And walked out of the infirmary.

She couldn't be more clear than that without outright calling him a werewolf. Hopefully, he would figure that out and they could have a conversation in the next few days. He looked surprisingly better than she had expected him to look. _Maybe it's because he was younger than Remus? Or a younger werewolf as it were?_ If she and Draco ever progressed their relationship far enough, she'd have to ask him about that.

 _Relationship? Hermione, you daft bint. You don't have a relationship with him! You snogged once! Once! That doesn't make a relationship!_ She scolded to herself as she walked back to the common room. What was she doing? Giving Malfoy her notes? Why? I mean, she would do it for anyone else, but why Malfoy? Why could she not get him off her brain?

She stomped into the common room with a growl in her throat. She couldn't figure out Malfoy, she couldn't figure out why she cared about Malfoy, and she couldn't figure out how she could stop thinking about Malfoy. She thought about him almost as much as she thought about her homework. Almost.

* * *

The week after the first full moon of the new year found Hermione on prefect rounds with Hannah Abbott, one of the Hufflepuff prefects. They were chatting quietly as they finished up. It was their last sweep, and it was almost curfew for the fifth, sixth, and seventh year students. Hannah and Hermione parted ways at the Entrance Hall to head back to their respective common rooms. Hermione only had ten minutes to hoof it up to the seventh floor and the entrance of the Gryffindor common room. She was thinking about a difficult Arithmancy homework problem from Professor Vector and didn't notice that a classroom door had opened up halfway down the fifth floor hallway.

Suddenly a hand reached out and grasped her right arm. She was pulled into an unused classroom and the door banged shut loudly behind her. She whipped out her wand and had it under the chin of the person still holding her arm. The grip was firm, but not crushing. She shook her head to clear the hair from her eyes and found herself looking into Malfoy's silvery eyes. He was gripping her with his left hand, and his right hand was palm up, showing her he wasn't armed. She pulled herself away from him and lowered her wand.

"What can I do for you, Malfoy? It's almost curfew," she told him as she backed away toward the door. She wasn't sure what she was feeling at the moment. Apprehension at the look in his eyes certainly, maybe even a little fear. _Had he grown again?_ He looked so much bigger standing there in front of her than he had last week in the hospital bed. He pulled out his wand and with a muttered _Lumos_ the torches on the walls lit up.

"Granger, you aren't stupid. You know what I am." It wasn't a question. Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. _He wanted to be blunt today, did he?_ She nodded, but didn't elaborate.

Malfoy stared her down like he was waiting for her to comment. She pursed her lips and crossed her arms. She was getting impatient with him as he studied her. Finally, he spoke.

"Do you know what a mate is to a werewolf?" She frowned at him. _Now, why was he asking her that?_ She knew he was a werewolf. He had just confirmed it. _Does he have a mate? Was **she** his mate?_

"I don't. I'm not sure I want to know why you are asking me that question," she replied. She wanted him to admit it, if she was his mate. That had to explain his behavior, right? He hadn't been mean to her all year, and a week ago they had kissed. Kissed! She still couldn't believe she had kissed Draco Malfoy, Slytherin extraordinaire, the pure-blood prince himself!

Malfoy groaned and ran his hands through his hair. She could feel the frustration pouring off of him in waves. He paced the room for a few minutes, he almost seemed to be arguing with himself about something.

"Malfoy, clearly something is going on that involves me. Tell me what it is. I have a right to know." She thought if she laid out the terms to him, maybe that would make up his mind and he would start explaining. When he started talking, he surprised her.

"Werewolves only get one mate. Did you know that? If a werewolf is even lucky enough to find his mate. My pack has nineteen wolves in it, and only Fenrir has ever had a mate. Out of nineteen wolves, one has found his mate. Until me. I'm barely a werewolf, I've had three transformations. I'm still a pup. And here I am with a mate." He chuckled a bit to himself. "And the funny thing is, Granger? I don't even mind that it's you. With everything else going on this year, I don't mind that it's you." He stopped pacing and looked at her. His arms hanging at his sides like he didn't know what to do next.

Hermione felt sorry for him. He sounded so frustrated and confused. She couldn't imagine having her life turned so upside down in the span of one summer. At the beginning of the summer, he was a normal sixteen year old kid, and now he was a werewolf! And apparently, she was his mate? _What did that mean?_

"Alright, you get one mate. And I'm it. What does that mean? What does it mean for you and what does it mean for me?" She asked him. She walked to the front of the room and cast a _Scourgify_ at the teacher's desk and sat on it. Then she locked the room and cast a _Muffliato_ on the room. It seemed they might be there for a while and it wouldn't do to be caught out of their common rooms after curfew.

Malfoy sighed and sat next to her on the desk. "It means that no matter what happens, I'm going to be driven instinctually to want you, to protect you, to be with you. It's not something I can help according to the elders in the pack. My pack. It's been hell trying to stay away from you since start of term."

Hermione was surprised by his candor. She didn't think he would be so honest with her. "Ok, so it's instinct driven. And since you are a werewolf you're basically ruled by your instincts, correct?"

Malfoy nodded, he was looking at her intensely. Like he wanted to kiss her again. She thought she might want to kiss him again too, but she needed more answers.

"Is this like a forever thing? You won't want anybody else?"

Malfoy nodded again and looked down at his feet. She thought about that. She didn't really know Malfoy. She knew of him, Slytherin, pureblood, prat. But she didn't know what he liked to do, what subjects were his favorite, his favorite color, what kind of girls he liked, things like that. How was she supposed to make a decision like this? Could she even make a decision like this?

"Look, this is weird and I don't really understand what it even is. Before this term, I hadn't really ever thought about you. I mean, I did when you were being rude, and you pick on Harry a lot, but not beyond that. You weren't on my radar. So, I'm not really sure where you want us to go from here. I will admit that since the run in on the train, I've had a hard time getting you out of my head." She looked up at him then, trying to catch his eye.

"It's the bond," he told her quietly.

"You said that before, what bond?" She was curious. There wasn't much written about werewolves, but they had to have their own culture and traditions, right?

"The mate bond, it works both ways. As soon as I smelled you on the train - my sense of smell is off the charts since my first change - I knew you were my mate. It activated a bond, and when you smelled me for the first time, it reciprocated, just a little bit. And then, when we kissed last weekend," he smirked at her, "that renewed the bond. It's like a marriage bond-"

"What?!" A marriage bond? She couldn't be married, she was only seventeen for Merlin's sake!

Malfoy laughed, "No, we aren't married, Granger. I mean the bond is similar to a marriage bond, each interaction we have, strengthens and renews the bond. When the bond is strong, you'll feel it, and you'll feel me. That's not really the right word, but you'll be more attracted to me, according to Fenrir anyway."

"So, by sitting here, chatting with you, we're renewing the bond?" Hermione bit her lip in thought. She could handle that. Chatting was easy and relatively harmless.

"Yes, 'chatting' will renew the bond. But my wolf has demanded that I make a move toward you, he will want to get physical." He was looking at her intensely again. Like he wanted to kiss her.

"Your wolf?" She asked. She knew Remus called his 'wolf side', Moony. But she thought that was just a nickname for Remus himself. What did Malfoy mean by 'his wolf'? He made it sound like it was a different person or entity? How did that work? This discussion was becoming fascinating.

"Yes, my wolf. His name is Reule. Your personality splits when you're bit. And the feral, animal side of you becomes your wolf, while the human side stays you. It's complicated and hard to explain. But I'm working on reconciling the two halves. Apparently, that's the best way to live as a werewolf. Reconcile with your wolfy-self and you'll be a better, happier werewolf." Malfoy huffed a laugh at that last bit. It startled a laugh out of Hermione as well. That made sense, she could even see why Remus was so tortured. He had never made peace with his wolf, with Moony.

"Reule, huh? Doesn't that mean 'famous wolf' in French?" Hermione asked, quirking an eyebrow up at him.

Malfoy laughed again and rubbed the back of his neck a bit sheepishly. "I am a Malfoy." That pronouncement made Hermione giggle. _A wolfy Malfoy,_ she thought.

"So, this Reule, wants to make a move? Can he make you, make a move? Or is he only allowed out during the full moon?"

"I'm not sure. I would have said that he can't make me and he can only be out during the full moon, but I suspect that if I were to ignore him and his direction long enough, he would figure out a way to come to the forefront of our mind."

"I see. This is a lot to take in, Malfoy." She was still thinking furiously at what all of this meant. She had a mate. A 'true love'? And it was Draco Malfoy. And he was a werewolf. And he was going to be driven by his instincts to want to be with her, to mate with her. She shook her head at that thought. She didn't want to go too deep down that path.

"Draco, call me Draco. Hermione." She shivered at the sound of her name on his tongue. It sounded delicious coming out of his mouth.

"Draco, then. What do you expect me to do with this information? You say we aren't married, but that you won't want anyone else. And that you'll be driven to want me and to protect me. How does that work? We're practically at war, and the last time I checked, we were on different sides of that war." She said this in a serious tone. It was a concern, Harry Potter was her best friend after all. She didn't know the full details, but it sounded like Draco had been pushed into being a werewolf, not chosen it. Which means someone made him do it. His father was in Azkaban and she couldn't imagine Lucius Malfoy being pleased that his son was now a werewolf.

"I don't know where that leaves us. I don't know how this works. Believe me, Granger, if I had a choice, I would not have chosen to deal with this mate business this year. Or any year. I wouldn't have chosen to become a werewolf. Did you know this is my punishment for my father's failures at the Department of Mysteries?" Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. She had suspected, but hadn't been sure. And she was surprised he was bringing up the Department of Mysteries fiasco. The last time it came up, he had gotten very upset.

"My father, sits on his arse in Azkaban, while I have the Dark Lord and his minions living in my house, including my bat-shite Aunt Bella, my mother is practically under house arrest, and now I'm a fucking werewolf." Draco had stood up from the teacher's desk and began pacing again. He kicked a chair over in his rage, Hermione hadn't been expecting it and squeaked at the clatter. Draco looked up then, he was breathing heavy and his hands were clenched at his sides. As she stared at him, with wide eyes, she could feel the rage pour off of him, he stalked toward her. She was still sitting on the teacher's desk and shrank back, trying to make herself smaller, it was an unconscious movement. He placed his hands flat on either side of her on the desk and leaned down. His mouth was parted, and he was panting as he asked, "May I?" He leaned close his mouth just a few centimeters from hers.

She nodded and in that moment he was kissing her. He moved one hand to her waist and pulled her to the edge of the desk as the other one cupped the back of her neck, tilting her head to a better angle. He slanted his mouth over hers and dipped his tongue to taste her lips. She gasped at the feel and he took advantage, gliding his tongue forward and into her mouth. Their tongues tangled and fought for dominance. Her own hands reached up to clutch at the back of his head, _his hair **is** silky,_ she thought. He changed the kiss up, now it was slower, with more languid strokes of his tongue. His hand was making small circles at her waist and he slid her forward even more, her legs parted and he put a knee between them, pushing them apart even farther. She wrapped her legs around his. Holding him close to her.

Suddenly his mouth was gone and she could feel his hot breath at her ear, "Hermione," he growled. She moaned in response and her hips bucked toward his as he nipped her earlobe and down her neck. He sucked on the skin where her neck met her shoulder and she shuddered. He was going to leave a mark, but she didn't care. As long as he kept touching her, kept kissing her, she didn't care. Her hips bucked again, and this time, his responded. She could feel his hard length pressed against her, heat pooled in her belly.

"Oh, gods," she moaned as he licked up her neck and to her ear again.

"I want you," he panted in her ear, pushing his hand underneath her jumper to find bare skin at her waist. Hermione's hips bucked a third time at that pronouncement. She never thought talking dirty would be such a turn on. She grabbed the back of his head and directed his lips back to hers. She needed to taste him again, _spearmint toothpaste, he tastes like spearmint toothpaste._ She took control of this kiss, and he let her, he let go of the back of her neck and dropped his other hand to her waist, pushing and pulling her jumper up. His hands danced along her waist and abdomen and lower back, drawing nonsense patterns.

Suddenly, they heard a commotion in the hall and Draco jumped back from her. He spun toward the door and had his wand pointed at it, standing in front of Hermione so that she couldn't even see the door. They heard Peeves cackling and Filch cursing through the _Muffliato_ that had started to wear off as Hermione had gotten lost in Draco's kisses.

"It's after curfew, Draco," Hermione said, smoothing down her jumper and pushing at Draco's back so she could stand up. Draco turned back toward her, pocketing his wand.

"You should get back to your common room so you aren't caught out after curfew," he told her. "I'll walk you there."

"Walking me to my dorm will only get you caught, if not by Filch or a professor, than by a Gryffindor. It's only two floors up, I can get there by myself."

She could see him clench his jaw like he was about to argue and then he shook his head like he thought better of it.

"Alright, goodnight, Hermione." He leaned down and gave her a small kiss to her cheek, brushing her hair behind her shoulders as he did so. And then he was gone, through the classroom door and to his own dorm.

Hermione took a couple of deep breaths. She was sure she was bright red and her lips were swollen from snogging. _Gods, what has gotten into me?_ She didn't normally lose her head like she had tonight. Draco had given her a lot of information. She was going to have to take the time to think about it all and about it's implications in her life. Maybe she could ask some very general questions in her next letter to Remus? She didn't want to elaborate further as she was pretty sure if Remus knew about Draco being a werewolf, being in Fenrir's pack, and apparently being her mate, he wouldn't be able to keep quiet about it. And right now, Hermione needed to sort through her own thoughts and feelings before the rest of the world knew what was going on between her, a member of the 'Golden Trio' and Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat! She's the best! And you guys, your reviews are amazing! I'm getting all of the warm and fuzzies thinking about them. Thank you! Keep them coming! And with the holidays approaching, I may not have another chapter for you until the new year. Hope everyone has happy holidays and stays safe! Don't forget to leave a review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: This is a Fenrir chapter, he is not a nice man. He attends a Death Eater Revel, so assume the following triggers, non-con, dub-con, torture, death, etc. If this will bother you, please skip this chapter.**

* * *

After Hogsmeade, Fenrir apparated to Malfoy Manor. Arnou, Seff, and Rand popped into place near him. As they walked toward the Manor and the dueling court, he thought about his newest pup. He needed to figure out when he was going to get the pack together so he could get his Beta officially installed. It didn't much matter that he was just a school boy - Fenrir needed a Beta and he could tell the pup was going to be a good one. He was sure that having a plan for killing Dumbledore had taken a weight off his pup's shoulders. He smirked to himself thinking about the pup's other problem. A a mate was fortunate for his pup, and for the pack. And what a mate she was. The little bird his pup had introduced him to was delectable. That put him in the mood for tea with Narcissa Malfoy. Fenrir smirked to himself and waved the others forward. He had just thought of the perfect excuse to get the rest of the pack together before the next full moon.

He walked towards Narcissa's solar; he was almost there when he ran into Bellatrix Lestrange. Fenrir groaned to himself. He had no idea how sisters could be so diametrically opposite as Bellatrix and Narcissa were.

"Greyback! Have you been to see my nephew?" She asked him, extending her hand for him to kiss. He did, reluctantly.

"Bellatrix, I have just come back from spending last night's full moon with young Draco. He is doing well, I'll be sure to tell him you've been asking about him." Fenrir turned to move past her when she grasped his arm to stay him.

"Excellent, so glad to hear that Greyback. I do have to say, you look like you have been putting an effort into your appearance these days. Is that my nephew's influence? Or is there a woman in your life?" She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked, almost knowingly.

Fenrir coughed and rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. He had been hoping that none of the other Death Eaters would notice something like that. It was due to Draco, who had told Fenrir months ago that he would be more respected if he adopted pure-blood customs. Fenrir had thought about it, and decided that if he wanted his plan to work, he would need to play along to get along. So he had taken his poor hygiene off the table, grooming himself, showering, and wearing high quality clothing. Trust Bellatrix to take notice of something like that.

"Your nephew is quite brilliant in political matters and had suggested that if I wanted to further advance myself in that arena that I dress the part." He smiled tightly and nodded at her in farewell, heading off to speak with her sister.

He knocked on the solar door, and heard Narcissa call out a greeting. He pushed it open to find her just on the other side of the door about to open it.

"Fenrir! Hello, I was just coming to find you!" She grasped his arm and pulled him into the room, shutting the door behind him. She snapped her fingers and a house elf appeared; she ordered tea and biscuits and led him over to a settee. She sat right next to him, asking how Draco was doing and how the full moon went, and if other members of the pack went with him. He answered her questions as she poured the tea and handed him his cup.

"Mrs. Malfoy," he began, but she cut him off.

"Really, Fenrir, I insist you call me Narcissa," she patted his knee and sipped at her tea, smiling demurely.

"Narcissa, then," he replied, returning her smile. "I want Draco to go through the Beta Ceremony before the next full moon, which is the day after Halloween. Do you think you could arrange Draco to be home from school that week? I know it's unusual, but I was hoping with the Malfoy influence, you would be able to manage it."

"Oh! I'd love to have Draco home for Halloween! I will go up to the school this week and speak to the Headmaster about it. What is involved in the Beta ceremony?"

Fenrir hummed to himself, trying to decide how much to tell her. "He has to fight every member of the pack for the position, including me. If he beats everyone, and loses to me, he'll be Beta." He left out that he would need to mark the pup again.

Narcissa's eyes widened in surprise. "As a human or as a wolf?"

"Both, we'll do it as humans first the day before the full moon. Then at the full moon, he'll have to fight again. It's not a fight to the death, and I wouldn't have him do it if I didn't think he was prepared." He told her, trying to be his most reassuring. She nodded, still looking frightened for her son.

"Will he be injured?" She sipped her tea again; Fenrir could detect a very faint shake to her hands. She must be terrified for her son. He felt a stab of pity at the precarious position she and her family were in.

"Probably, but it shouldn't be anything serious. Nobody else in the pack wants to be Beta, so the fighting is really nominal." He put his hand over one of hers, trying for comfort. It must have worked, because she smiled softly up at him. He moved his hand and snagged a biscuit, while she looked lost in thought.

"Fenrir, thank you again for taking such good care of my son these last few months. I know he can be difficult, and I know this is a difficult path for him, but I don't know what I would have done had the Dark Lord inducted him as a Death Eater instead of this," she looked apologetic, like she wasn't sure of herself or her feelings. Fenrir could understand. He imagined no mother would want her son to become a werewolf. And being a Death Eater wasn't much better, regardless of your thoughts on blood purity.

"Don't worry about it, Narcissa. It's my duty as Alpha to look after all of my pack. Speaking of, I'm sure Draco hasn't mentioned it to you, but he has a mate. I'm not sure what you know about werewolf mates?"

Narcissa looked confused and told him she had never heard of werewolf mates before. So he told her how it was once in a lifetime occurrence and that not all wolves found a mate. But that once they did, it was forever and for life and there was nothing, literally nothing that would keep a werewolf from his mate. He wanted to prepare her for who the mate was. Narcissa needed to know, he explained, because his pup needed someone else to confide in. But it needed to be kept a secret, not many knew Draco was a werewolf, and it would be disastrous if that leaked beyond the Death Eaters.

"I've met her," he told her.

"His mate? How? Where? Can I meet her?" She asked him rapidly, reminding him of his pup in that moment.

"Hogsmeade weekend, I went up to meet with Draco. He figured it out on the Hogwarts Express, and needed some advice. Keep in mind everything I just told you about mates, how they aren't chosen, but they are for life and there isn't anything he can do about it." She nodded, and leaned forward, clearly eager to learn who his mate was. "It's Hermione Granger."

"What? How can..? But?" She looked lost for a moment. Before her mask slipped into place. "I see. Well, I'm glad you told me. I should be able to help manage Lucius at least. I'm assuming you don't want the Dark Lord knowing about Draco's mate?" She recovered quicker than he had expected. He was proud that she was so quick to catch on. He nodded in reply to her question.

"I'm sure we can manage this," she told him with a tight lipped smile. He nodded his agreement and picked up her hand, leaving a lingering kiss on her knuckles. She blushed prettily and he left the room.

* * *

The Dark Lord had called for a Revel that evening. Fenrir stood in his spot just outside of the inner circle. Black Death Eater's robes on and his mask in place as Lord Voldemort pontificated about blood purity. Rabastan Lestrange had angered the Dark Lord again and was suffering punishment. His screams were finally fading as the Dark Lord waved his arm, and Crabbe and Goyle tugged forward the ten or so muggle captives they had tied together in a row. The muggles were mostly women, and a just few men. All young, some clearly not of age yet, but Fenrir preferred it that way. He loved the Revels. For all he might play at being a sophisticated pure-blood, he wasn't. He had been recruited as a Death Eater in the First Wizarding War and he loved it. He had been one of the most feared then, and it hadn't changed now. In fact, the Ministry had just put out a wanted poster with his face on it. When Rand had brought it to him, he laughed. He wasn't worried.

He circled the muggles, trying to decide which one he wanted this evening. He was about to select a young brunette with curly hair that reminded him of his pup's mate, when Rodolphus made to grab her. He whipped his wand up to his fellow Death Eater's face and growled.

"That one's mine," he bared his teeth menacingly. Rodolphus narrowed his eyes at him, and seemed to think for a moment. Before releasing his claim on the girl and nodding at him, grabbing the young man next to her.

"Oh, thank you sir! Can you get me out of here? I don't-" She stopped speaking when he kicked her in the stomach.

"Shut up," he told her as he grabbed her hair and pulled her away from the crowd. He didn't give her the chance to stand, as he pulled her behind him and she tried to free herself from his grip. Her hands pushing ineffectively at his own. Once he was a decent distance from the rest of the lot he threw her to the ground. She lay there, panting, looking up at him with panic in her eyes. He loved seeing the panic. It always started his blood boiling, and he could feel himself getting hot.

"Please, sir, whatever it is you want, I could-" she begged, getting onto her knees.

"I said, shut up!" He shouted at her. "Stay on your knees though," he unbuckled his belt, and pushed his trousers down his hips, pulling his robes aside to free himself.

He grasped the back of her head, and when she gasped, he shoved himself in her mouth. "Don't even think of biting me, suck it." He told her. She proceeded to suck him. It wasn't the best blow job he had ever had, but the fear in her eyes kept him hard. Before he could make himself come, he pulled her away from him. He needed blood, and a lot of it. The girl collapsed on the ground, beginning to weep heavily.

"Look at me," he told her. He wanted to see her face when he started torturing her. She didn't move, just sobbed harder. He kicked her again, this time using enough force to turn her over onto her back. She didn't look as pretty as she had; her face was red and splotchy, wet with tears and snot. But her eyes were still full of fear for him. That made him grin; he breathed in deeply and savored the smell of her fear rolling off her in waves. He began casting slicing hexes at her, some small, some large. Enjoying the way her blood ran out and mixed on the ground. He loved a good slicing hex. The tangy, metal smell of blood always made him just a little hungry. It reminded him of the days he spent biting everyone he could come across during the full moon. Now he was ready.

She scrambled back on all fours and wiped at her mouth. He just laughed at her. He followed her down and turned her over on her hands and knees. Pulling her slacks down, he thrust himself inside her. She was crying properly now, he could hear her wailing and begging him to stop, but that just spurned him further. Begging was music to his ears. He continued to slam into her until he finally allowed himself to come, shuddering as he released.

He pushed up from her and tucked himself back in his trousers, pulling his robes closed. He rolled her over and grinned down at her, noticing the way her eyes had glazed over. He kicked her again and she didn't move. He'd killed her. Earlier than he had wanted.

He turned around and noticed most of the other Death Eaters were still playing with their toys. He turned his eyes up to the Dark Lord and saw that the Dark Lord was watching him. Lord Voldemort crooked his finger, and Fenrir loped up to where he was standing.

He kneeled down and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robes. He hated this part of being a Death Eater, but it was required.

"Rissse, Fenrir," the Dark Lord hissed at him.

He stood and looked into the Dark Lord's gaze, he wasn't worried about the Legilimency the Dark Lord was capable of, being a werewolf protected against that. He was just enough of a non-human that the Dark Lord couldn't easily access his thoughts.

"Tell me how your Beta progresssesss."

"Of course, my lord. He is doing well. I want him to do the Beta Ceremony before the next full moon. Which is at Halloween," he told his master.

"Excellent, I want you to attend the next inner circle meeting, Fenrir," the Dark Lord smiled at him.

"I'm honored, my lord," he bent his head. He truly was honored; he had been working a long time to become part of the inner circle.

The Dark Lord patted his shoulder. "We almossst have the Minissstry. Once they fall to usss, I will be releasssing our brothersss and sssissstersss from Azkaban."

"A most excellent plan, my lord. I am glad to hear that our imprisoned brothers and sisters will be able to join us once again." That really was good news. The Ministry was almost theirs, and once they had the Ministry and Azkaban, they would just need Hogwarts and the rest of Wizarding Britain would fall into line.

"It isss, I would like your Beta to take the Mark, once he isss Beta of courssse," the Dark Lord informed him. This was not good news to Fenrir. He enjoyed being the only Death Eater among his pack. It let him relieve his stresses as he just did with the muggle girl. Nobody in his pack needed to see that side of him, especially not his soon-to-be Beta.

"Of course, my lord. Whatever you will, so it shall be," he told the Dark Lord with another bow of his head. He wondered how long he would be able to put off having the pup Marked.

The Dark Lord nodded in dismissal. Fenrir stepped back and took his place just outside of the inner circle again as the Dark Lord clapped his hands together and called his Death Eaters back to their places. He spoke once more of blood purity and how close they were to taking over Wizarding Britain. Then he dismissed his cabal for the evening. Fenrir headed back to the dueling court, murmuring _Tergeo_ to remove the blood from his robes. It wouldn't do to walk into a pack of werewolves covered in blood.

* * *

 _Pup,_

 _You'll be doing the Beta Ceremony before the next full moon. Your mother will be taking you out of school that week. It coincides with Halloween, and you'll be spending the full moon with the pack. Your mother sends her love._

 _F.G._

He sent his missive off to Hogwarts and leaned back in his chair. Arnou entered his tent then and he waved him over to a seat as he muttered an _Accio_ at the firewhisky and a couple of tumblers. He poured them both a glass and took a sip of his, waiting for his Sire to speak.

"What of the pup?" Arnou finally asked.

"What of him?" Fenrir replied, raising his eyebrow.

"How will he take this slow seduction of his mother?" Arnou asked, surprising Fenrir into a laugh.

"I didn't know you noticed, old man," Fenrir replied with a snort.

"I'm old, not blind. I still have my sense of smell, and I can smell her all over you," Arnou replied with a sniff.

Fenrir chuckled, thinking back to the interesting afternoon he had had in Narcissa Malfoy's solar. He was sure she was doing what she could to ensure her son's safety, but Fenrir was not a nice man, or nice wolf. And he would take advantage if offered to him.

"He doesn't need to know what his mother does for his safety," he told Arnou. "And you won't be telling him, either." He pointed his finger at Arnou in warning. Arnou could be interfering and Fenrir did not need his pup getting defensive on his mother's behalf.

"Mum's the word," Arnou told him with a snort. Fenrir guffawed and poured more firewhisky for the both of them.

"So the Beta Ceremony is going to be right before Halloween?" Arnou asked sipping his firewhisky.

"Yeah," Fenrir ran a hand through his dreads. He was looking forward to having a Beta finally, he could unburden some of his pack duties, but he knew the Dark Lord wasn't going to forget about wanting to Mark his pup.

"The pup's mother will be gathering him from Hogwarts the week of the full moon. He'll spend it here with the pack and preparing, then we'll have the human part the day before the full moon, with the wolf part taking place at the full moon. It'll be good to have the pack all together then." Fenrir thought about how it would feel to have his whole pack back under one roof. It would feel good, complete. It always felt like a part of him was missing when a member of his pack wasn't living under the same roof.

"I want you to mark me for the pack," Arnou said quietly disturbing Fenrir's thoughts.

"What? Why? You've never," Fenrir started, he was shocked that Arnou would want this.

"I want to be part of the pack, if you'll have me that is," Arnou admitted, he looked embarrassed. Fenrir was sure he had never seen Arnou embarrassed in all the years he had known him.

"Why?" Fenrir repeated. He couldn't understand it.

"Damnit, pup, I'm not getting any younger. And your new Beta needs me, which means you need me. I want to be part of the pack. I want to feel the collective. I'm sick of being a loner." Arnou looked angry and wouldn't meet Fenrir's eyes. He had always known his Sire was a lone wolf, but maybe he was a lone wolf because he hadn't been part of a pack, not because he wanted to be a lone wolf. He wasn't Alpha material. That was for sure, which meant he couldn't really make his own pack. Fenrir thought back, trying to remember if he had ever asked Arnou if he wanted to be part of his pack, he didn't think he had. _Damn, what an idiot,_ he thought to himself. Of course, Arnou wanted to be part of his pack, and he'd never even asked him!

"Of course, next full moon, after the Beta Ceremony, I'll mark you for the pack," Fenrir told him. He smiled at Arnou and clasped his shoulder.

"It'll be good to have you as one of us, finally, old man," he told him and filled both firewhisky glasses again. Arnou tipped his glass toward him. Fenrir clinked them together, and they both drank the fiery liquid down in one gulp to seal the pact.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to brownlark42 and twztdwildcat! Leave a review and let me know your thoughts!**


	11. Chapter 11

_Pup,_

 _You'll be doing the Beta Ceremony before the next full moon. Your mother will be taking you out of school that week. It coincides with Halloween, and you'll be spending the full moon with the pack. Your mother sends her love._

 _F.G._

Draco had just finished the missive from Fenrir and crumpled it up when Blaise sat next to him in the Great Hall for breakfast. It had been several days since he had cornered Granger on the fifth floor and he was getting itchy for her kisses again.

"Who's the letter from, Draco?" Blaise asked, piling his plate with eggs and toast.

Draco glanced at him, trying to decide how much to confide in who was supposed to be his best friend. He couldn't tell him about being a werewolf, not yet. Blaise wouldn't understand, and he couldn't stand it if he started looking at him with horror. Or worse, sympathy.

"Just an associate of my father," he says as imperiously as he could. Draco pulled out his wand and muttered an _Incendio_ at the scrap of paper, burning it. Blaise just raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are your plans for this afternoon?" Blaise asked him. It was a Saturday, and not a Hogsmeade weekend. The weather was still holding nicely, which was good since Slytherin had Quidditch practice before lunch today. Blaise was a Chaser, and after having perused the schedule closely, Draco discovered to his surprise that none of the Slytherin games fell in or around a full moon. That meant he could still play as Seeker this year, something he was quite pleased with. This year was crazy enough without having to give up Quidditch as well.

He told Blaise he planned to study that afternoon, but in reality he wanted to find Granger and snog her senseless again. Then maybe he could work on the damned Vanishing Cabinet that Fenrir told him about. He had found it in the Come and Go Room, so that wasn't the problem, but he couldn't figure out how to make it work again. He needed to scour the library for books on Vanishing Cabinets and see if he could find anything. If not, he would be searching Malfoy Manor's library come Christmas hols. He needed to get that cabinet fixed before the end of the school year, and the earlier the better. He was glad he hadn't been Marked, because it meant he didn't have to face the Dark Lord unless he was at home.

Draco was glad that Fenrir had sent word about his mother. He was still writing her on an almost daily basis and she was replying, which gave him a small measure of relief. He hadn't heard any rumblings in the Daily Prophet about the Dark Lord, and he couldn't decide if that was a good or a bad thing. Maybe it meant that the Dark Lord wasn't gaining as much influence? Or it meant the Dark Lord was gaining influence more quietly than Draco had expected. Wasn't that a scary thought? Draco shook his head, clearing himself of those thoughts. He looked across the hall to the Gryffindor table and caught Granger staring at him. He smirked at her. Was that a blush? She looked down at her tea, dropping his gaze. He laughed to himself and stood with Blaise to head down to their dorm to change for Quidditch practice.

Being on a broom again was glorious. Draco swept around the Quidditch pitch, higher than the rest of the players, enjoying the feel of the wind in his face and the broom gripped between his legs. He had grown so much that Quidditch uniform was uncomfortably tight. He would need a new one from Madam Malkin's before the next game. He was glad his mother had insisted on several sets of robes in larger sizes - how plebeian would it be if he had to wear robes that were too small? He shuddered at the thought. He did another sweep of the Quidditch pitch, looking for the practice snitch his captain had released. Then, he ran through a few drills and feints. The first Quidditch match of the season was Slytherin against Hufflepuff and it was next weekend. He knew Slytherin would crush them.

* * *

After lunch, Draco was up on the seventh floor, pacing in front of the Come and Go room when he spied Granger down the hallway. He stopped what he was doing and decided to follow her. She must have heard him behind her, because she turned around and looked at him.

"Malfoy?" she asked, turning fully to face him.

"Granger, I thought I told you to call me Draco," he smirked at her and leaned against the wall, putting his hands in his pockets. Hopefully he looked cooler than he felt at the moment. His heart was racing and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms.

She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Draco, what can I do for you?"

"Just wondering where you're going, Granger."

"I was planning to go to the library, the common room is too loud. What are you doing up here on the seventh floor?" she narrowed her eyes at him as if just realizing that this was not a part of the castle he would normally be in.

"I'm working on a project," he said cryptically, hoping she didn't ask any more questions.

"What project?" she asked. Of course, that was a stupid thing to hope for, she was the queen of asking questions.

"Don't worry about it, Granger." He moved closer to her and tugged on one of her curls. He could see that she inhaled deeply, as she leaned forward a bit and closed her eyes. He smirked down at her, _so the little witch wanted a kiss?_ He leaned down to meet her and brushed his lips along hers. She sighed against him and grabbed at his robes at his chest. He swept her into his arms and deepened the kiss, swiping his tongue against her closed lips until she opened up for him. Suddenly, she pulled back from him her eyes wide.

"Malfoy! We can't be seen kissing right outside the Gryffindor common room!" She hissed at him. She grabbed his hand, looked around and took off down the hallway in the same direction he had come from. He caught up to her, until they were walking side by side, still holding her hand. He couldn't believe she was letting him hold her hand like this. She walked up to the blank wall that was the Come and Go Room and dropped his hand. She paced in front of it until a door appeared and opened it, grabbing his hand again to tug him inside.

They weren't in the room of lost things like he had been intending earlier. Instead, it looked like a comfortable sitting room. There was a couch in front of a fireplace, and a couple of bookcases full of books. He raised his eyebrows at Granger.

"I didn't know it worked like this," he told her, dropping her hand and laying back on the couch. She smirked at him.

"Seems you don't know everything, Mal- Draco," she told him primly. She dropped her bag on the floor and walked toward the bookcases, skimming their contents.

He watched her for a moment, folding his hands behind his head and crossing his feet. The couch was rather comfortable.

"Granger."

She turned to look at him. "Yes?"

"You brought me in here, I thought I'd at least get more snogging," he smirked when she blushed. He could see her blushing clearly in the small room the Come and Go room had conjured for them. He stood up off the couch and stalked toward her. Trapping her between him and the bookcase behind her.

"Don't I get more snogging?" he asked as he nuzzled her ear, inhaling deeply along the column of her throat. The scent of cinnamon and fall foliage filling his nostrils.

"What do I get in return?" she whispered teasingly, snaking her arms up his shoulders and playing with the hair at the back of his neck. He put his own hands on her waist and nipped at her earlobe. She moaned in response and stood up on her tiptoes, bending her neck to give him better access. He growled at the skin presented to him. He could feel Reule pacing in the back of his mind, wanting to bite that delicious tract of skin. He licked and kissed his way down to where her neck and shoulder began and lightly nipped the area, then laved it with his tongue. He was sure he would leave a mark, but didn't care. He wanted to mark her, to make her his for everyone to see. She was his.

"Me, you get me, Granger," he groaned into her neck as he backed her into the bookcase and lifted down to grasp her arse before finally putting his lips on hers in a searing kiss.

She returned the kiss and threw a leg around his hips. He lifted her up and she wrapped both legs around his waist, locking her ankles behind him. He pushed her into the bookcase behind her, hard enough that a book was knocked off one of the higher shelves and fell with a bang to the floor beside them. They pulled apart and looked at the book for a moment, before looking at each other.

"What else?" She asked him, quirking an eyebrow up.

"A werewolf isn't enough for you, Granger? Greedy," he told her.

Granger was flushed and her lips were already swollen with his kisses -it was the most erotic thing he had ever seen. He ground into her and she gasped, but then pulled his hips closer to her. He dipped his head in for another kiss and ran his hands up her sides, cupping her breasts through her jumper. She moaned into his mouth and rocked her hips against him. He reached down to the bottom of her jumper, grasped it and pulled it off. He went back to kiss her again, when his hands come across a thick scar on her abdomen. He pulled back and frowned. And then dropped her. He was horrified by what he saw.

Granger stumbled a bit before catching herself, she saw the look on his face, and she must have been embarrassed, because she reached for her jumper to pull it over her head. He stopped her, grabbing on to her shoulders and keeping her pinned to the bookcase. He was so angry he could barely talk.

"What. The. Fuck. Happened. To. You?" He asked, he fought to control his voice. He could feel Reule in the back of his mind howling for blood.

"Draco," she tried to cover herself with her arms and looked away from him. He could see tears in her eyes.

"Oh, gods, Hermione, I'm not mad at you. Gods, fuck, I'm sorry," he let her go and turned around, running his hands through his hair. _What the fuck had happened to her?_ He had never seen a curse scar that bad before, it was thick and ropey and ran from the top of her left breast all the way down to her right hip.

She put a hand on his back and he turned back around to face her. She had pulled her jumper back on, her eyes were still brimming with tears.

"Draco, it's ok, I understand. I'm ugly with-" he cut her off before she could say anything else.

"Ugly?! Hermione, I don't care about that! I care about why you have the biggest fucking curse scar I have ever seen! What the fuck happened? I want to know who did it, and why it wasn't healed! Have you seen Pomfrey? Maybe we should go to Snape, he should be able to do something to fix it." He was gripping her shoulders again staring down into her wide brown eyes. Hermione sniffed and rubbed a tear that had fallen down her cheek. She pulled herself out of his grip and went to the couch, slumping into the corner. She pulled her jumper sleeves over her hands and hugged her legs to her chest, curling into as tight of a ball as she could.

"I understand. I've been to Madam Pomfrey, and I'm already on a potions regimen from Professor Snape," she explained in a small voice.

"It's from the Department of Mysteries last summer, when I went there with Harry and met your father and his fellow Death Eaters." Her voice got quieter and quieter. He squatted down in front of her, so he could look at her eyes while she told the story. She wouldn't meet his eye though, she stared past him into the fire.

"We were running through the rooms, trying to escape the Death Eaters. Two had just caught up to us, I silenced one and Harry petrified the other one. We thought we were safe, but then he slashed his wand at me, and purple fire rained out of his wand toward my chest and I blacked out. I don't remember anything else that happened at the Ministry. When I finally woke up, I was in the Infirmary and Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey were standing over me casting spell after spell on me. We never did find out exactly what I was cursed with, but Professor Snape thinks it was one of Dolohov's own curses with no counter curse. So that's why the scar is so prominent. I understand if you think…" She couldn't finish the thought, she ducked her head and Draco could see her crying.

 _Fucking Dolohov,_ Draco had always hated the man. He was a pig, always leering after Draco's mother. Now he had a reason to kill him. He'd make it a priority. The next time he saw Dolohov, he was a dead man. He turned to his mate in front of him. He reached out and ran a hand down her back, underneath her hair. As he rubbed her back, she sobbed harder. He shifted forward and sat on the couch next to her, pulling her onto his lap.

"Granger... Hermione, it's ok," he murmured to her as she cried into his chest. Finally she calmed down enough and looked up at him.

"You - you're still here?" She looked almost awed.

"Of course I'm still here, you are my mate!" He told her emphatically.

"But," she began.

"No buts, you are my mate, a curse scar doesn't change that. I can't believe you survived it, to be honest. You must be incredibly powerful to have survived something Dolohov created, regardless of him being silenced." He pulled her close and hugged her again, so thankful that she was alright. She may not have been his mate at the beginning of the summer when this happened, and his life might be easier without a mate, but now, he didn't think he could give her up. He pulled back from her and tilted her chin up and kissed her very lightly on the lips. She melted into him, and he groaned. He could still feel Reule in the back of his mind, pacing, wanting to kill the wizard who did this to his mate. _We will, don't worry, Reule, we'll kill Dolohov,_ he thought to himself, kissing her harder.

Granger pulled back after a few moments and looked into his eyes, searching for something it seemed.

"Hermione, I know I haven't explained myself that well," he ran a hand down his face, and put it back around her, holding her to him. "Seeing an injury like that on my mate, it feels like someone gutted me and that I failed to protect you."

"But-" she started.

"I know, you weren't my mate then, it doesn't matter. That's how I feel. Like I failed to protect my mate. Half of me wants to lock you away and keep you safe from the rest of the world, and the other half wants to hunt down Dolohov and murder him with my bare hands."

She turned in his lap, so that she was straddling him and grabbed his face in both of her hands, looking deep into his eyes.

"Draco, you can't go after Dolohov, promise me you won't! He'll kill you! I'm fine, honestly. The scar is ugly, and the potions taste terrible, but I'm fine. I'll be fine. You can't go after Dolohov." She looked at him emphatically, he gazed back and came to a decision: he would be killing Dolohov. The next time he saw him, he was a dead man. So he lied.

"I won't, Granger, I won't go after him. I'm glad you told me who it was though. It gives me someone to hate for it," he told her pulling her in for another kiss.

* * *

Draco was humming to himself as he walked into the Slytherin common room after dinner. He had spent a pleasant afternoon snogging Granger in the Come and Go room. She wouldn't take off her jumper again, but he didn't blame her. Her curse scar was enough to frighten anyone, it was deep and twisted, still purple and fresh looking. He could feel his blood boiling just thinking about it, his good mood instantly gone. _Fucking Dolohov,_ he thought to himself. Trying to decide the best way to kill him, should he know why he was dying? Or should he just surprise him?

"Where have you been?" Pansy asked him as he sat down next to her, and pulled out his Potions book.

"Hmmm? Oh, just working on a project," he told her absentmindedly.

"Is that why there's a love bite on your neck?" she asked him with a smirk.

"What?" He reached up to his neck. Pansy conjured a mirror for him to look into, and there it was under his left ear. Just looking at it, stirred him. He could imagine Granger on his lap, sucking on his neck, he almost moaned before he caught himself. He quickly glamored it and handed the mirror back to Pansy, who banished it.

"So, who's the lucky lady?" she asked him, crossing her arms. She would work her damnedest to wheedle it out of him, he knew, but he couldn't tell her.

"Nobody you know, Pans. Drop it," he said in his most bored voice and turned to his Potions essay, tuning Pansy out.

* * *

A few days later in double defense against the dark arts with the Gryffindors, Draco was daydreaming about Granger's intoxicating kisses. He was sitting right behind the bench she was sharing with Weasley. Weasley was busy, copying everything Granger was doing, Draco rolled his eyes. The only reason Weasley hadn't failed anything yet was because he took complete advantage of Granger. Snape had finished his lecture and was watching the room take down the rest of the notes on what he had written on the board.

"Pair up, we'll be practicing our nonverbal disarming hexes. Be sure to keep them nonverbal," Snape sneered at the class.

Draco got up and nodded at Blaise who was sitting next to him. He angled Blaise to stand near Weasley and Granger. As Blaise attempted to disarm him nonverbally, Draco cast a _Protego_ and watched Weasley and Granger. Granger had already disarmed Weasley once and was handing his wand back to him. Weasley looked upset, he was red in the face and huffing a bit. Draco snorted, he was probably upset that the smartest witch in their year had disarmed him, as if Weasley could compare to her. He turned back to Blaise and muttered "Expelliarmus," under his breath, disarming him. Draco smirked at him and went to hand his wand back.

As he was turning away he heard Weasley shout, "Expelliarmus!"

Granger didn't get out of the way in time and was thrown back at the wall behind her slumping down after her head cracked loudly against the stone.

Reule howled in the back of his head and he whipped around to Weasley, "Stupefy!" he shouted. Then turned and ran toward Granger. He shoved Potter out of the way and cradled her head, brushing her cheeks.

"Come on, Granger, wake up," he murmured to her. Snape made his way over after having muttered _Rennervate_ at Weasley. He lifted a sardonic eyebrow at Draco. Snape waved Draco back, but Draco didn't move. He growled lowly at Snape. Snape turned to the rest of the class.

"Dismissed. Weasley fifteen points from Gryffindor for failing to follow directions." When the class didn't move fast enough he crossed his arms and barked, "Get out. Now!" That got the rest of the group to leave. Weasley and Potter were the last ones out, casting longing looks over their shoulders at Hermione, still lying motionless on the floor, her head in Draco's lap.

Draco barely noticed the rest of the classroom emptying. He was still murmuring to Granger, trying to get her to wake up. Snape pointed his wand at her, and before Draco could react muttered, "Rennervate."

Granger woke up slowly, and made a moue of confusion when she saw Draco, "Draco?"

"Shhh, it's ok Granger, I've got you," he muttered to her stroking her face.

"What happened?" she asked trying to sit up. Draco helped her to her feet where she wobbled for a moment before he slung an arm around her waist to steady her.

"The Weasel happened, he slammed a disarming jinx at you so hard you hit the wall and cracked your head. Are you alright? I think I should take you to the hospital wing." Draco was looking in her eyes, trying to determine if she had a concussion.

"If you are quite through playing nursemaid, Mr. Malfoy," Snape drawled at him. He stepped back from Granger and looked at Snape with a scowl on his face. It was strange being able to meet Snape's eye. Just a few weeks ago he was looking up to the tall man, now they were the same height.

Snape ignored Draco's posturing and cast a diagnostic spell at Granger. Draco didn't know what the varying colors meant, but Snape seemed unconcerned. He reached into his robes and pulled out a flask filled with a light blue potion.

"It's Headache Remedy. You don't have a concussion Miss Granger. Take this and you should feel better shortly," Snape told her, passing her the flask. Granger took it and swallowed it in one gulp, wincing.

She handed the flask back to Snape and thanked him. They turned to leave when Snape called back out to him.

"Mr. Malfoy, a word, if you please." Draco grimaced, not what he needed. He needed to take care of his mate, not discuss whatever it was his damned godfather wanted to discuss.

"I'll wait for you in the hall, Draco," Granger told him softly, grabbing her bag on the way out of the room.

Draco turned to face his professor, cocking an eyebrow and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Shove the attitude, Draco. What was that?" Snape asked walking toward him.

"It's nothing," Draco said tightly, clenching his jaw.

"It didn't look like nothing. And it will be all over the school in a matter of minutes that you sat in defense class cradling Miss Granger in your arms. What if the Dark Lord gets wind of this?" Snape hissed at him.

Draco groaned and dropped his head to his hands, running his hands through his hair. He hadn't meant to make such a public declaration. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_. He would have to tell people now. Maybe just a few people who mattered? Not everyone needed to know he was a werewolf. He could just tell Blaise and Pansy that his project for the Dark Lord was to get close to Granger. _Fuck!_

"She's my mate," he said very quietly, reluctantly. He was still embarrassed about being a werewolf, and now he had to admit that he was a slave to his hormones and had a mate that he couldn't help but protect.

"Your mate," Snape repeated dryly.

"Yes," Draco said, finally looking up to meet his eyes.

Snape smirked at him, "Well, this should make things interesting."

Draco sneered, "Glad you find it so amusing, sir."

He grabbed his bag and turned to go.

"What do you plan to tell the rest of your House about your actions, Draco?" Snape asked following him to the door.

"I plan to tell them that she's the project the Dark Lord assigned me," he bit out. A twisty, uneasy feeling sliding in his gut. This was not good.

"And the Dark Lord? What do you plan to tell him when he inevitably questions you about it?" Snape followed up with, blocking him from leaving the classroom.

"That she's my mate, that I don't have a choice, and that I can use her to gather information on Potter," he said quietly. Hating himself for every word that he uttered. He did not want to do any of that. He didn't want to talk to the Dark Lord about Granger at all. He had been hoping, foolishly perhaps, that he could keep the two separate. His life at home under the Dark Lord's control, separate from his life at school at school with his mate. That wasn't going to happen now. Now he had to figure out a way to explain this to Granger. And hopefully she would understand.

 _Oh gods, what if she hates me for this?_ He didn't think he could bear it. She was the one good thing going on in his life at the moment. He could think about her for a few minutes and all seemed alright in the world. That is, as long as he didn't think beyond her soft, warm body and her heady kisses. When he started thinking about who her friends were and their roles in the war, he started hyperventilating a little.

He had his hand on the door knob, intent on wrenching it open and wallowing in self pity, when Snape said, "Come find me, Draco, if you ever need someone to talk to." There wasn't a sneer or a smirk in his voice, he sounded as sincere as Snape ever sounded. Draco locked eyes with him and gave a tight nod, before walking out of the room to find Granger.

* * *

She was waiting for him in the hall, leaning against the wall, reading her defense book. She looked up when the door opened and offered him a small smile, placing the book back in her bag.

He loped across the hall to her and scooped her up in his arms, breathing her scent in deeply, "I'm so glad you're alright." He told her, nuzzling into her hair.

"Draco! Put me down! Someone might see!" She told him, urgency in her voice and her small hands were slapping at his shoulders. He let go of her and looked in her warm honey eyes, smirking at her.

"I think the cat's out of the bag, Granger," he told her.

"What am I going to tell my friends? What are you going to tell your friends? What did Professor Snape want? Oh, Draco this is bad!" She pulled away from him and began pacing. Draco looked at his watch and saw they still had about a half an hour until lunch started. He grabbed Granger's hand and pulled her along behind him. He found what he was looking for and pulled her into an abandoned classroom.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, he couldn't seem to help himself when he was around her. She was irresistible to him. But she pulled back.

"As much as I want to keep kissing you, Malfoy, we have to talk about this," she told him. Putting her hands on her hips. He thought she looked adorable and wanted to kiss her again, but he knew she was right. They were fucked and they had to figure out a plan.

"I don't know what you should tell your friends, but I know how I'm going to have to spin it. I can't have anyone knowing I'm a werewolf, I'll get kicked out of Hogwarts. And getting kicked out of Hogwarts is not an option. The Dark Lord will kill me if I do," he told her and ran a hand down his face. He kicked at a chair knocking it over. The clatter seemed to scare Granger because she jumped at the sound. He made a face and sat down on a desk, beckoning her over to him. He scooted back and picked her up so she could sit between his legs and lean her back against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I think better with you in my arms," he told her, kissing her neck. She sighed and sank into him.

"Draco, this is so weird. It feels so right, more right than anything else, but what am I going to tell Harry and Ron? They're probably worried sick right now, looking for me in the hospital wing or something," she said, she had wrapped her hands around his and was tracing her fingers up and down his forearms.

Draco growled when she said the Weasel's name, "Fucking, Weasel. We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for him."

"That's not fair, Draco. He didn't do it on purpose, he-"

"Stop making excuses for him, Granger! He threw all his power behind that fucking hex, you could have been seriously hurt!" Draco tightened his arms around her and set his chin atop her head.

She sighed, "I know, he has a temper, let's not talk about that. What are you going to tell your friends?" She started kicking her feet into his and leaned her head back on his shoulder.

"That you are my assignment from the Dark Lord. That he wants me to get close to you so you'll spill all your secrets about Potter to me, that I've dosed you with a lust potion, maybe. Something along those lines,"

Granger nodded, "That makes sense, I guess. Although why would he think you could seduce me away from my friends?"

"Well, that's not what I'm telling him. I'll have to tell him the truth, that you're my mate. Hopefully, Fenrir can garner enough protection for you through the pack. I just have to make my friends believe that the Dark Lord trusts me enough to seduce you. Speaking of seduction," he growled in her ear, inhaling her scent and nipping at her neck. She tilted her head and moaned at the contact.

"That feels nice, Draco," she told him gripping his forearms as he moved on to suck the spot where her shoulder and neck met. It was his favorite spot, he'd marked it several times now. He was pretty sure he always wanted to keep it marked.

"Ok, so your problems are mostly solved, what about mine? Should I try the same approach? I'm trying to turn you to the light side? I don't think Harry and Ron will buy that." She still had her head tilted and he lifted his lips from her neck, leaning forward to catch her eye.

"I could pretend to start coming around to your side," he offered seriously. He needed this to work for her too, and she couldn't be seen to having a big falling out with Potter and Weasley, otherwise his cover would fail.

She frowned, "Maybe. You've been better this year. Not picking fights or anything, except for the train." She glared at him. He smirked down at her and kissed her nose.

"Got it, no fights with Scarhead and Weasel. Anything else?" he asked, staring at her mouth. He really wanted to kiss her again.

"I'm not sure. Do we spend time with each other in public? With each other's friends? I don't think anyone is ready for that. So maybe our friends know, and we keep it quiet to everyone else?" She looked up at him with worried eyes. He could see her point, things were heating up outside the walls of Hogwarts, and they both had their parts to play.

"I agree, friends can be in the know, but let's keep it quiet from everyone else. No time spent hanging out in the library or with each others friends. Let's not make it more complicated for ourselves," he told her. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes. He hugged her close, enjoying the feeling of having her in his arms.

Distantly, they could hear feet shuffling, "Must be time for lunch," she murmured. He hummed his agreement, not letting her go. She pushed at his forearms and hopped off the table, turning to face him.

She grabbed the sides of his face and put her forehead on his. Looking into his eyes, she said, "I don't know why this feels so right, Draco. But I'm going to go with it. There's so little in the world right now that feels as right as this does." Then she leaned in and kissed him. His hands were on her waist pulling her close to him as their tongues twirled around each other. After a moment she pulled away and smiled at him. Then she grabbed her bag and left the room, leaving him still sitting on the desk staring after her.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat and brownlark42! Also, you guys, 97 reviews! Holy cow! That is ridiculously flattering. So as a thank you to you wonderful readers, this chapter came in early! Let me know your thoughts!**


	12. Chapter 12

"Hermione! Where have you been? We went to the Hospital Wing, but Madam Pomfrey said she hadn't seen you," Ron blurted. He and Harry had just rushed into the Great Hall for lunch and spotted Hermione eating at the Gryffindor table.

"I'm fine, Ron. Professor Snape healed me. I sat in the classroom with him for a bit so he could monitor for a concussion," she told them.

Harry had worry written on his face, "Are you ok? You got hit pretty hard there."

Harry and Ron took a seat across from her, and she reached to grab Harry's hand, "Really, Harry. I'm fine. Professor Snape gave me a headache tonic, so good as new."

Ron started piling food on his plate and nodded at her. Hermione narrowed her eyes, _well, the least he could do ist apologize!_

Ron jumped suddenly, "Oi, what's that for, then?" He scowled at Harry.

"Aren't you going to apologize to Hermione for knocking her out in Defense, Ron?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows and gesturing toward Hermione's own narrowed eyes.

Ron flushed, "Oh, right. Erm, sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to knock you out in Defense." He quickly looked back at his plate and started shoveling food in his mouth.

Hermione sighed loudly, "It's fine, Ronald." She offered Harry a small smile and a roll of her eyes. Harry seemed to agree. He rolled his eyes in return and shifted his attention back to his food.

 _So far, so good. At least they haven't grilled me about Draco._ Hermione smiled to herself. Maybe she would be able to keep this a secret.

After lunch they all had a free period, and Hermione decided to sit with Harry and Ron in the Common Room. She should have known they would eventually confront her about Draco. As soon as they were in the common room, Harry started with the questions.

"What's going on with you and Malfoy?" he asked, trying to sound casual. But Hermione could hear the suspicion in his voice.

"I don't know what you mean," she replied evenly. _Looks like I'm not going to be able to avoid an explanation after all._

"Don't try to pull that, 'Mione," Ron told her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "It's nothing. We've talked a few times. We ran into each other in the library and I had noticed he has been looking peakish and-"

"He's a Death Eater!" Harry shouted.

"Peakish, you noticed he looked peakish?!" Ron shouted at the same time.

"Honestly," Hermione sighed. "It's really not that big of a deal. Harry, you are convinced he's up to something, right? Has following him around all these weeks gotten you anywhere?"

Harry glared at her and shook his head, "No, but that doesn't mean you have to be chums with him."

"I'm not! I just figured that if he was up to something, I'd see if talking to him would get it out of him," she told them.

"Talking to him? You're talking to him? What does that mean?" Ron fumed.

Hermione huffed at them both and went to sit in an armchair in a corner of the Common Room. At least the room was relatively empty. When they joined her, dropping into armchairs facing hers, she cast a _Muffliato_ around them.

"Has he been a prat at all this year? Teasing you? Calling you names? Bumping into you in the hallway? Because he hasn't to me. So when I see him, when we run into each other in the hallway or library, we talk. I ask him questions. I'm trying to find out if he's up to something like you are so convinced, Harry. I don't think he's a Death Eater." Hermione told them, leaning forward with her forearms on her thighs. She wanted her two best friends to understand that Draco wasn't a bad person simply because he had been born to a bad family. She clung to the idea that her mate had a good side. And while having a mate didn't have the same meaning for her as it did for him, clearly it was something pretty serious. She wanted to write to Remus and ask him about mates, but couldn't figure out a way to do it without raising his suspicions.

"Broke my nose on the train, didn't he?" Harry asked pointing at his nose.

"Well, since then?" Hermione asked.

Ron scoffed, but Harry looked thoughtful. Finally, "I guess he hasn't, but that doesn't mean you should be talking to him! What if he hexes you?"

"The only person who's hexed me recently is Ron," Hermione replied dryly.

"I said I was sorry!" Ron told her. Hermione waved a hand at him, but didn't take her eyes off Harry. Ron was a hothead, but he would inevitably follow Harry's lead.

"I don't like it," he said, but Hermione rolled her eyes at this pronouncement.

"You aren't my father, Harry, you don't decide who I talk to. You are my best friend, and I want you to understand that this could be the way to figure out what he's up to. I'm not even the one who cares about what's going on with him," her heart twinged at the lie. "You are. I'm doing this for you. Your cloak-and-dagger approach hasn't worked. Please let me see if I can make this work." Hermione sent her most pleading look his way.

Harry considered this and Hermione was worried he was going to keep arguing, but he finally nodded tightly.

"Fine, talk to him. See if you can find anything out. But be careful, Hermione. He's a snake," Harry told her.

"And I'm a lion," Hermione replied with a raised eyebrow. Ron looked back and forth between the two of them before throwing his hands up as he stood.

"Nutters, the both of you," he muttered as he walked away.

Hermione smiled faintly at him. "Friends still?"

Harry softened and smiled back at her, "Always." Then hopped up to find Ron.

Hermione decided she would go to the library during the rest of her free period after both Harry and Ron went up to the boys tower. She knew Harry would work on Ron until he saw things her way.

The conversation had gone better than she thought it would, and she was quite pleased with herself. They hadn't questioned why Draco jumped to her aid in Defense. They might still press her about it, but at least she had steered them away from the intimacy Draco had shown and toward the suspicious behavior Harry was so convinced of.

She felt a twinge of frustration as she thought about relationship, if she could even call it a relationship, with Draco. She hadn't really sat down to sort through her feelings, and her thoughts were jumbled and confused. Every time she tried to think things through, she was interrupted by something. And then she would run into Draco again, which inevitably led to more snogging. She hated the knowledge that her actions were impulsive, mired in instinct.

And yet, the snogging was wonderful. She probably liked it a little too much, craving it, and hoping she'd run into Draco in the next empty hall or deserted classroom. But then she would consider who she was snogging. A relationship wasn't built on physical attraction. She needed to spend time with him not snogging, and talking instead. Talking about his life, and about her life. Seeing if they had any shared interests. She knew she would never get approval from his parents, and she wondered if that's something he would care about.

From everything he had said, a mate was for life. Even if she chose to be with someone else, Draco would always want her. Although, thinking about being with someone else made her stomach tighten. Had a few kisses really turned her off the thought of anyone else?

Over the summer, it had seemed like she and Ron would finally be able to make things work, but that clearly wasn't going to happen now. The thought of kissing Ron with any sort of passion almost made her gag. What had changed so abruptly? She had spent many summer afternoons daydreaming about kissing Ron, pressing her mouth against his, and now the thought made her queasy? She couldn't determine if this had to do with being Draco's mate, or if her feelings had just changed that much? What if it was due to being a mate? What did that mean?

It frightened Hermione to think that she was being controlled through this werewolf mate business with Draco. She had reached her favorite nook in the library, near the back of the Restricted Section. She sat along the wall under one of the tall windows that looked out over the lake. She pulled a spare bit of parchment out and started a letter to Remus.

 _Dear Remus,_

 _How are you? I hope you are back safely from your last mission for Professor Dumbledore. My classes are going well, although I wish Professor Vector would move on to imaginary numerologies as soon as possible. We're revisiting werewolves in Defense this year, but I've noticed a few gaps in the literature that I'm hoping you might be able to fill. I was wondering if you knew anything about werewolf mates? I came across a short reference to a werewolf having a mate, but the book didn't provide much information. I was curious about what the significance of a mate is for a werewolf?. Do they have mates for life? Do they often meet a mate? And how does being a mate affect someone?_

She continued the letter discussing an obscure point of warding magical theory Remus had included in his last letter to her. When she was finished. She folded the parchment, then hexed it to only open for Remus. It was a spell Remus had taught her and something the Order had used in the First Wizarding War. If someone other than Remus attempted to open and read the letter, it would incinerate itself. Hermione had told Remus that it reminded her of Inspector Gadget, but he had just given her a blank look while she giggled.

* * *

Harry cornered her later that evening in the common room. Ron was busy playing a game of Exploding Snap with Dean and Neville. He threw himself down on the sofa she was sitting at reviewing her notes from Transfiguration and twirled his wand to put up a _Muffliato._

"Listen, Hermione, I was able to get Ron to come around, but you and I both know there's something more going on with Malfoy," Harry told her. His tone was relaxed and calm, not really like the Harry she knew. She wondered where this was coming from.

"I'm not sure what you mean?" she asked. She closed her Transfiguration text and turned toward him.

"I mean that he cradled your bloody head," Harry hissed at her, his eyes narrowing, and he leaned forward. _Ah, there's the Harry from this summer._ "He hexed Ron! Like he was defending you!"

"How am I supposed to account for Malfoy's reactions? I was knocked out at the time!" Hermione responded, turning more fully toward Harry. Her back was against the armrest behind her and she curled her left leg under her right.

Harry eyed her. He obviously didn't believe she wouldn't know why Malfoy had acted the way he did.

"I'm not asking you to account for his actions, Hermione. But even you have to admit that this is not Malfoy-like behavior. Why would he act like that toward you? Doesn't he think you are beneath his notice? Being muggle-born and all?" Harry questioned her closely.

She closed her eyes and leaned into the back of the couch. What was she going to do? Would Harry believe that she was in a relationship with Draco? Would he believe that he was a werewolf and she was his mate? This was such a conundrum. She could have fooled Ron, but Harry always looked deeper. Could she trust Harry not to tell Ron? _He was her best friend, right?_ She would have to put her faith in him.

"I'm his mate," she told him quietly.

"HIS MATE?! What in the bleeding hell does that mean?" Harry practically shouted at her. The _Muffliato_ was still doing it's job, but Hermione looked around the common room to see if Harry had attracted anyone's attention. Nobody was looking their way.

"It means that he was asked by Voldemort to become a werewolf this summer. Fenrir Greyback, the same one who bit Remus, bit Malfoy over the summer. He's a werewolf, Harry." She told him calmly.

Harry threw up his hands, "Oh really? And he didn't immediately off himself for becoming a 'half-breed'?"

"Harry! He is not a half-breed! Would you call Remus a half-breed?" Hermione was indignant at Harry's reaction.

"Of course not, Hermione. But you know that's the way Malfoy thinks!" Harry seemed just as angry.

"Because it was the way he was raised! He's a product of the environment he was raised in! Just like you are!" Hermione explained to him. She knew Harry wasn't a scholar, but surely he had to be exposed to some introductory psychology?

"What is that supposed to mean?" Harry bit at her, he was sensitive about his terrible childhood with the Dursleys.

She groaned, "It just means that how you were raised affects you the rest of your life, unless you work to change it. It affects your thinking and how you feel about things. Of course, he thought I was inferior being muggle-born, and he probably did think that werewolves are half-breeds. It's all he knew. I'm sure his thoughts have changed now." She wasn't trying to upset Harry, but she needed him to see that Malfoy couldn't help his prejudice's anymore than Harry could.

"How do you know? Has he told you?" Harry was back to grilling her.

"Well, not in so many words," she admitted quietly, "but his views must have changed right? I'm his mate! According to him, it's instinctual, and for life. Even if I choose someone else, he will always, always choose me! You saw him in Defense, from what you said, he was trying to protect me. You think he chose to blow his cover?" As she made this argument, she began musing about why Draco hadn't told her his views had changed. They clearly needed to have a conversation about this. They needed more conversations and less snogging in general, her rational mind insisted.

Harry thought about that for a moment, "Maybe. So what you told us earlier about him looking peakish?"

Hermione nodded, "Well he does, but it's not entirely truthful. I don't know what being a mate really means for me yet. He seems to not entirely know either. I've written Remus to see if he has any information. But I have not told Remus that Malfoy is a werewolf, and you have to promise to keep it quiet. Nobody else knows... " she paused to consider, "I suppose Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey probably know, which means Professor Dumbledore probably knows. But I don't think any of the other students know, not even his friends know.

"He mentioned that Voldemort would kill him if he got expelled from Hogwarts by being exposed as a werewolf. I think that means that being bitten wasn't the only thing Voldemort made him do over the summer. I think it means he's up to something else. I haven't asked him what that is, but I'm planning to. He might be my mate, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let him follow some stupid command from Voldemort."

Hermione reached out to Harry as he appraised her. "Harry, trust me on this. I'm going to figure out what he's up to."

Harry sighed, "I won't tell anyone he's a werewolf, but Hermione, you just... You don't know guys like him. You don't know how guys think!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Hermione bristled at Harry.

"You are being naive! You aren't his mate! He's playing you, Hermione! He's just trying to get to me!" Harry pleaded with her, but Hermione couldn't hear it.

"Not everything in this world is about you, Harry James Potter!" Hermione snapped at him.

"This is, though! Hermione, I swear to you that he's using you in order to gather information about me!" Harry was emphatic. Hermione glared at him.

"You are wrong," she stated smartly.

"Fine, I'll prove to you that he's just using you," Harry told her in a huff. He threw one last glare at her before walking away and breaking the _Muffliato_.

How could Harry think that Malfoy was using her? Hermione knew that he wasn't. He had been too real in his interactions with her. He wasn't nearly smooth or focused enough to be lying to her. She'd wait to see what Remus had to say about mates. That would prove Harry wrong.

* * *

 _Daily Prophet - October 15, 1996_

 _ **Rufus Scrimgeour Dead!**_

 _It is with great sadness that this reporter brings to you the news that our illustrious Minister for Magic has died. He was found early this morning in his home. Causes are unknown at this time, but it appears to be natural._

 _Pius Thicknesse, the current Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, has been appointed by the Wizengamot as the new Minister for Magic. Read the riveting tale of Rufus Scrimgeour's life on page 3, and Pius Thicknesse's life on page 2._

 _Scrimgeour was only Minister for little more than a year. He succeeded Cornelius Fudge (background on page 17), who was removed from office for denying that He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named had returned._

 _We at the Daily Prophet will endeavor to keep Wizarding Britain apprised of all new updates during these Dark times._

* * *

 _Daily Prophet - October 19, 1996_

 _ **Lucius Malfoy Exonerated!**_

 _In a surprising move, the new Minister for Magic, Pius Thicknesse (background on page 6), has exonerated Lucius Malfoy (background on page 10)._

 _Readers will remember that Lucius Malfoy was imprisoned in Azkaban in June, due to his involvement in the Harry Potter (background on page 15) break-in the Ministry of Magic's Department of Mysteries._

 _When this reporter reached out to Mr. Malfoy's beautiful wife, Narcissa Malfoy, she commented, "Having Lucius home will ease the great suffering I've had since his false imprisonment at the beginning of the summer."_

 _Lucius Malfoy is expected to return to his home in Wiltshire later today._

 _Stay tuned dear readers, we will continue to report on this story._

* * *

Hermione slammed down the Daily Prophet and caught Draco's eye across the Great Hall. He nodded to her and tilted his head toward the doors. Hermione responded with an almost imperceptible nod and began to gather her things.

"Where are you going, 'Mione?" Ron asked, around a mouthful of food.

"I remembered a book I wanted to look up in the library," she began, but then noticed Ron had stopped paying attention to her. She waved goodbye to her friends and headed out the doors. She didn't see Harry narrow his eyes as he watched Draco get up to leave the same time.

Draco was waiting for her in the hallway. They walked up toward the third floor, but not really walking together, in case someone spotted them. Upon reaching the third floor, Malfoy turned down a little used corridor that ended in a very small, but clearly abandoned classroom. When they got into the room, Hermione warded the door and Draco started pacing, pulling at his hair.

"Not good, Granger, this is not good. This is very bad and not good," he was mumbling to himself as he paced.

"Draco, calm down. I thought your father-" she started.

"You know nothing of my father," he spat at her. His voice was cold. He had his emotionless mask on, she could see. She realized it was the mask that he used to always wear, but now seemed unfamiliar. He never put that mask on when they were alone together, and made her sad that he thought he needed it now.

She approached him and put her arm on his arm, looking up into his icy gaze.

"Draco, maybe you could tell me about your father?" she asked, tugging his arms so that he was hugging her.

He took a deep breath and looked down at her, "I love my father, but since the Dark Lord has come back, he's a different man. Not the man I knew when I was younger. He's colder... harsher."

Hermione nodded and hugged him, wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat.

"Granger, what if? What if he, gods, finds out I'm a werewolf! He's going to kill me." Draco moaned into her hair miserably.

"Draco, he's your father, he's not going to kill you. And he won't be disappointed in you, even if he's disappointed that you've been bitten. But Voldemort," Draco hissed at the sound of that name on Hermione's lips, but Hermione plunged ahead anyway, "commanded it of you. Surely he's not going to go against his Lord and Master, is he?"

Hermione could apply her logic to any situation. Draco was the Malfoy Heir, so no way his father was going to just kill him. She almost scoffed at the thought, but didn't want to upset Draco. She was exhausted byall the boys in her life being upset. This just made her think of Harry, and she groaned and felt self-conscious. She desperately wanted to ask Malfoy if he was using her like Harry thought, but she didn't want to add anything to his worries right now. She bit her lip in thought, still holding onto Draco. She decided she wasn't going to bring it up with him. He had enough things to think about.

"Draco, even if your father is out of Azkaban, and you and I both know he shouldn't be, well, you won't have to see him until Christmas hols, right?" She asked, moving so that she could look at him, resting her chin on his chest as she gazed into his silver eyes.

"That's, actually, you're right, Granger. I won't have to see him until Christmas. And maybe something will happen and I won't have to see him at all!" Draco seemed almost excited about the prospect of never having to see his father.

"Well, I thought you said you loved him?" She was confused by his reactions. He pulled away from her and started pacing again.

"It's not that I don't love my father, but I still want him to respect me. I told you he's changed. He never has a kind word anymore. And I don't want to hear all of the unkind words he's going to have to say to me about this werewolf business. He's never cared for Fenrir, and while Fenrir can still be bloody terrifying, I at least feel like he's always on my side. My father hasn't always felt like he's on my side. And, it was kind of nice not having him around this summer," Draco admitted to her quietly.

She could understand that. Not everyone had great supportive parents. Her own parents knew nothing about the war that was taking place in her world at the moment. She had kept it from them, because she knew it would terrify them. She had a duty to her world and to her friends. She wasn't going to let her parents get in the way of that.

"Let's not worry about it just yet. You aren't going to have to see him for months," she reached out to turn him around to face her again.

He smirked at her, and pulled her in for a kiss. She melted against him.

His kisses were heaven.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to brownlark42 and twztdwildcat! I am in awe of the amount of people reading and reviewing this story! You guys are the best! Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! We have a couple of action packed chapters coming up, can't wait to see what you think of them!**


	13. Chapter 13

"Granger? Really, Draco?" Blaise asked, flopping down into an armchair next to Draco in the Slytherin Common Room. Draco groaned. He had done well avoiding his friends for a few days - this was a conversation he was not looking forward to. Blaise was a dark-complected Italian, whose family was politically neutral, but he played the Slytherin pureblood games along with everyone else at Hogwarts.

"What are you talking about, Blaise?" he asked airily, flipping through his Potions text, trying to look much calmer than he felt.

"What happened in Defense earlier this week? You cursed the Weasel and held Granger. You. Draco Malfoy, Slytherin Prince, Pure-Blood Scion of the House of Malfoy. You touched a mudblood. Voluntarily," Blaise replied dryly. He leaned forward and put his hand on Draco's textbook, forcing him to look up. Draco glared at Blaise and closed his book, leaning back into his arm chair.

"Don't call her that," Draco said.

Blaise's eyebrows shot up, "Mudblood? Aren't you the person who introduced her to that word?"

Draco hissed when Blaise said it again. Blaise was right of course. He and Granger hadn't done much talking in the last few weeks, but eventually they would have to. He was a blood purist, and that hadn't really changed despite becoming a werewolf. He couldn't think of Granger in terms of being a mudblood though. Not since finding out she was his mate. He felt like being his mate made her pure somehow.

Draco nodded at Blaise, "She's my assignment," he muttered. Trying to extricate himself from the conversation as soon as possible.

"Your assignment? For what class?" Draco looked around and saw that nobody was paying them any attention. He cast a Notice-Me-Not spell around himself and Blaise.

"Don't play dumb, Blaise. It doesn't suit you," Draco replied. "She's the assignment the Dark Lord has given me."

Blaise smirked at Draco, which made Draco's insides crawl uncomfortably, but he smiled back, his mask too well-practiced.

"You are supposed to seduce her? Pansy won't like that." Blaise turned his smirk into a full-on grin. Draco almost grimaced at the thought of having this same conversation with Pansy, but shrugged his shoulders for Blaise's benefit.

"It doesn't matter what Pansy likes or wants. It's what the Dark Lord wants." Draco ran a hand through his hair.

Blaise hummed his agreement, "But still... how can you stand touching her?"

Draco's gaze narrowed for a moment before he was able to catch himself. He lifted his shoulder in reply, "Don't have much of a choice, do I? Touch a mudblood," he almost choked over the word, "or disobey the Dark Lord. One of those is much, much worse than the other." _Why couldn't he say mudblood?_ He had never had a conscience before learning of his mate, and now he didn't even think of her as a mudblood, and couldn't talk about her as a mudblood either?

"Has your seduction succeeded then? Tell me the details! What is Granger _like?_ " Blaise said leaning forward eagerly.

Draco could feel Reule waking up in the back of his mind, trying to push himself forward to protect his mate. _Calm down, Reule. I've got this._

" _You better, boy,"_ Reule growled at him. Strange, he had never had a conversation with Reule when he wasn't a wolf. Did that mean Reule was getting stronger? Or Draco was adapting? He shook his head; he couldn't think about this now. He'd ask Fenrir in his next letter.

"Listen, even if I had succeeded in getting the mudblood to drop her knickers, I wouldn't be telling you about it. I might ask you to Obliviate me, but I wouldn't want to share the details and have to relive it myself," Draco shuddered for effect.

Blaise rolled his eyes at him, "It's not like she's a troll, and she's fit. For a mudblood, anyway."

Draco smirked at his oldest friend in agreement, "She is fit."

Blaise smirked back at him, "So no fucking yet, but definitely something is happening?"

Draco nodded, but didn't say anything. He was a little lost thinking about Granger and how delicious she smelled and how much he wanted to bond her. Mark her. Make her his, for everyone to see.

Blaise waved his hand in a go-on gesture. But Draco shook his head.

"I told you I wasn't sharing details, go bug someone else," Draco told him frowning a little.

"Fine," Blaise threw up his hands.

As Blaise stood to go, Draco asked, "Your mother has a Vanishing Cabinet, right? Left over from the first war?"

Blaise raised his left eyebrow, "Yeah, but I don't know where the other half is. Or if it still works. Why?"

"Just wondering what you knew about them. Thought they might be useful this time around too," Draco replied nonchalantly.

Blaise furrowed his brows, "I'm not sure, I'll write mother and ask her."

Draco nodded his thanks as Blaise walked out of the Common Room.

* * *

Draco was just leaving the Come and Go Room when he was accosted by Potter. _That didn't take long._

"Malfoy! I need a word," Potter said, flagging him down. He almost sounded polite.

"Well, if it isn't Scarhead. What can I do for you?" Draco asked guardedly. Potter scowled at the way Draco had addressed him, which made Draco smirk.

"What the hell do you think you are doing with Hermione?" Potter asked, fingering his wand. Draco eyed Potter's wand hand and stood so his own wand was easily accessible. Draco wasn't about to be caught unaware by the Boy Who Lived to Irritate.

Draco looked around, feigning innocence, "I'm not doing anything with Granger. She's not even here, Potter. Need your glasses fixed?"

Potter scowled even deeper and his body tensed. _Maybe I will get out of this without divulging too much. I wonder what Granger told him?_

"Look, I know your little secret, but I am not buying it. Seriously, you have her convinced that she's your _mate_?" Harry practically shouted the last word.

Draco could feel his lips thin in anger; Reule was awake and pacing in the back of his mind. He pulled his wand and flicked it to cast a _Muffliato_ charm. He drew himself up and glared down his nose at Potter.

"I don't know what the fuck you are on about, Potter. But you need to learn to not speak that way to your betters. I'm not doing anything with Granger, so just go along your merry way, little boy."

Potter took a step back, forced to look up at Draco, "Hermione told me everything, Ferret. How you got bit by Greyback and now you have a furry problem once a month. And how you are telling her she is your bloody mate! I won't let you lie to her! You are on opposite sides of this war. You can't have her!"

Potter was shouting loudly now, and Draco was grateful he had the presence of mind to cast the _Muffliato_ that he had picked up from Granger. He looked around. No other students were in sight, but they were standing in the middle of the seventh floor hallway and the Gryffindor Common Room was just around the corner. He glared at Potter and turned around, trusting that Scarhead was too much of a goody-two-shoes to hex him in the back. He paced in front of the Come and Go Room and when the door appeared, he tugged it open.

He found himself in a dueling court and chuckled to himself at the sight. _How apropos,_ he thought. He heard Potter slam the door behind him and he whirled around to face him.

"I don't know what Granger told you, but I'm not a bloody werewolf, and therefore, she can't be my mate." Draco growled.

"Expelliarmus!" Potter shouted, but Draco was ready for him. And he had his werewolf instincts and months of training with Seff and Rand on his side. He twirled neatly out of the way and shot a silent jelly-legs jinx at Potter. It caught him for a moment, before Potter muttered the counter-curse. But Draco was ready for him and tossed a _Confringo_ his way.

Potter sidestepped the _Confringo_ and shouted, "Bombarda!"

Draco laughed as it sailed over his head, he had ducked and rolled, missing the next curse Potter flew at him.

"Are you so bad at Defense that you can't duel silently, Potter?" Draco taunted as Potter's next jinx hit his shield spell and bounced back.

Potter ducked out of the way of the rebounding jinx and threw a trip hex at Draco. It caught Draco and he went down.

"Incarcerous!" Potter shouted, standing over him. Ropes shot out of Potter's wand and wrapped themselves tightly around Draco. Draco was stuck lying on his back looking up at Potter.

Potter stood back and laughed. Suddenly, Reule jerked Draco back into his mind. It felt just like being the wolf. He could see, and knew what Reule was doing, but he was powerless to stop the wolf as he took control. As Reule, Draco growled at Potter and flexed his arms, pushing them hard away from his body. Draco was pretty sure this was not something he could manage if he was in control, but since it was Reule, his arms caused enough force to break the ropes. He stood quickly and towered over Potter, then shoved him easily to the ground.

Potter looked stunned and propped himself up, his mouth was hanging open. He was looking at Draco with wide, wary eyes.

"Stay away from me, and stay away from my mate," Draco growled menacingly at Potter. He kicked the shorter teen so hard that Potter flew across the floor and into the wall. Draco wheeled around and left the Come and Go Room, banging the door behind him.

 _You need tolet me back up front, Reule._ But Draco could see that Reule was taking him to the dungeons. This could be good and bad. Good because he needed to get away from Potter, and bad because he was still trying to avoid his friends. He did not want to come across anyone in the state he was in now. He was vibrating with rage.

" _You were going to let that little shit win! I always win, boy. Remember that,"_ Reule growled as he shoved Draco back forward and settled in the back of Draco's mind.

 _What the fuck was that?_ Draco had never lost control like that to Reule. In fact, prior to this week, Reule had only been an issue near the full moon. Now he was not only feeling him all the time, pacing in the back of his head, but Reule could suddenly take charge? That was not good. Draco had enough to deal with; and having to control the wolf inside his mind was not going to help anything. He steered toward the Entrance Hall and went outside to calm down before heading back in the Great Hall for dinner.

* * *

Granger was sitting under a tree near the lake when Draco happened upon her. _Perfect,_ he groaned to himself. He didn't really want to see her at the moment - but then, what the fuck was she doing telling Potter that he was a werewolf? He had enough problems, without Boy Wonder sniffing around.

"Granger," he growled at her, startling her. She jumped a bit and looked up at him, frowning. She glanced around and saw they were the only two still out at the lake this late in the day, dinner was about to start in the Great Hall.

"Draco, hello, how are you?" she asked and smiled at him. He loved her smile, and she looked beguiling in the late afternoon light. Her hair was down around her shoulders, surrounding her small frame. She was still in her uniform from classes, but she had taken off her robe. It was warm outside for late October, and her skirt had ridden up above her knees, showing several inches of creamy thigh. He felt himself stir.

"Why did you tell Potter?" he asked her bluntly. He pushed aside thoughts of how delicious she looked. He was too angry to get distracted.

"Draco, he's my best friend and he's not stupid. He would have figured it out eventually." She patted the cloak next to her, inviting him to sit. He shook his head, and turned to face the lake.

"He just accosted me outside the Come and Go Room," he told her flatly.

"What! Are you ok? What happened?" She rose and was standing behind him; he could smell how close she was. He turned around to glare down at her.

"We dueled."

He watched her eyes widen. She raked her gaze over him, clearly looking for injuries.

"Don't worry, Scarhead couldn't get anything to land other than an _Incarcerous_ , which I broke," he told her a bit smugly. He wasn't comfortable with what Reule did, and he didn't like being out of control. But, an _Incarcerous_ wasn't broken unless it had been left in place too long, or you incapacitated the person who cast it.

"Is Harry ok?" she asked in a small voice, meeting his gaze again. He scowled at her as he realized how fearful she was that he had done something to Potter. Did she really think he would hurt her friend? He was disgusted. Clearly she thought he was a monster. _But was he?_

"Potter is fine, probably pissed his pants, but he's perfectly fine," he spat at her.

"Draco -" she started.

"Don't. Don't 'Draco', me. Just run along inside and check on him. Clearly that's what you want to do," he told her bitterly, turning toward the lake again. She was his. She was his mate, and she was more worried about her precious Potter.

"That's not fair, Draco. If you say he's fine, I trust you." She stood in front of him, her back to the lake as she pulled at the arms he had crossed over his chest to clasp his hands.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded. "I'm sorry he attacked you, and I'm sorry I told him. He's so protective and he cornered me in the Common Room. I had to tell him something! And, Draco, he's so suspicious of you this year. He's been following you around, keeping an eye on you., That's why he found you outside the Come and Go Room. I - I told him that I would keep an eye on you. That we were talking, because I thought you looked ill. I told him I would figure out what you were up to," her explanation started loud and got quieter and quieter as she admitted the truth.

He wanted to trust her, and he knew there was no way that she would give up six years of friendship with Boy Wonder for him. Even worse, she still had more loyalty to Potter than to him. He glared down at her.

"And what am I up to, Granger? You told him I was a werewolf, and you told him you are my mate. Do you know how protected that information is? And you go blabbing off to your friends? Do the Weasel and Weaselette know, too? Are you sitting up in that damn tower giggling and laughing over how you have the slimy Slytherin by the fucking balls?!" He was shouting at this point, and Granger had dropped his hands and backed up from him toward the lake. She looked frightened. _Good,_ he thought.

"Draco! That's not how it is!" He could see that she had tears in her eyes, but he didn't care.

"I don't care, Granger. I'm done dealing with this shit. Keep Potter away from me," he spat before turning and walking back to the castle.

"Draco, wait -" he didn't hear anything else; he turned his quick walk into a light jog.

* * *

The next day, Draco was hoping to keep a low profile. It was a Saturday, and he was catching up on homework in the library. He had just finished his Ancient Runes translation and pulled out Potions when someone pulled out the chair next to him. He glanced up and saw Pansy glaring at him. _Fuck._

"Draco Malfoy, what the fuck is your problem?" Pansy asked him, her voice was cold. Pansy had dark hair that was cut in a short page-boy style. She had everyday dark green robes on, which Draco noticed brought out the green flecks in her blue eyes.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Pans. I'm working on my Potions essay, have you finished yours yet?" Draco tried to change the subject.

"You have ignored and avoided me for two weeks! And I know why, too. The question is why didn't you tell me?" Pansy looked hurt.

"What was I supposed to have told you, Pansy?" Draco was trying to figure out what exactly she thought she knew. There was no way she knew he was a werewolf right? This had to be about Granger.

"That you're dating that fuzzy-headed mudblood," Pansy replied, her tone clearly telling Draco that he was an idiot.

"I'm not 'dating' Granger, she's my assignment. Haven't you talked to Blaise?" Draco really did not what to have this conversation with Pansy. It was bad enough having it with Blaise.

"Your assignment?!" Pansy shrieked.

"Keep it down!" Draco hissed at her. He looked around and could see some fourth year Hufflepuff's looking their way. Draco packed up his books and grabbed Pansy's hand to pull her out of the library. He needed access to the library so he could look for information on Vanishing Cabinets, and it wouldn't do to be kicked out by Madam Pince because Pansy was a loud mouth.

They found an empty classroom a few doors down the corridor and Draco pushed Pansy inside, ahead of him.

"Yes, she is my assignment from the Dark Lord. That's all you need to know, Pans," Draco explained, running his hands through his hair. He really wished Blaise and Pansy had talked to him at the same time. He hated having to talk about Granger this way. It made his insides squirm uncomfortably.

"So, what? You aren't dating, but she's your assignment? What the fuck does that mean? What does the Dark Lord want you to do with her?" Pansy had her hands on her hips and was glaring at him full force now.

"You know what he wants me to do, Pansy. Why are you acting like this? Do you think I have a choice?" Draco was getting angry and started pacing in front of her.

"It's not like the Dark Lord called me into my drawing room. Yes, my drawing room, because he lives in my fucking house! To give me a choice on what my assignments were. 'Here, Draco, take your pick of assignments'." Draco laughed darkly.

"It was more like, 'Draco ssseduce Potter'sss mudblood'," Draco hissed for effect, stopping in front of Pansy and scowling down at her.

"Draco!" Pansy looked around with wide eyes. "You can't talk like that! You don't know who's listening!" Pansy pulled her wand out of the sleeve of her robe and flicked it at the door, locking and warding it. Then she set a silencing spell on the walls of the empty classroom.

Draco groaned. He was so fucking stupid! "You're right Pansy, I shouldn't speak like that. The Dark Lord wants me to seduce her and gather information on Potter," Draco admitted to her, sagging to a seat on a dusty table.

"And he thinks you are the best person for this job?" Pansy sassed.

"Ha, bloody, ha, Pansy. Obviously he thinks I'm the best person. Clearly my past behavior isn't ideal, but Granger is such a bleeding heart Gryffindor that I think it's working. She's less suspicious than I would be in her shoes, that's for sure," he replied quietly. In fact, it _was_ strange how easygoing Granger had been this whole time. Sure, she had questions, but they hadn't really argued until he ran into her after the duel with Potter.

Pansy raised an eyebrow at him, "The Dark Lord clearly doesn't know you that well."

"Good thing for that," Draco muttered, surprising Pansy into a bark of laughter.

"Well, if you want any help with it, let me know," Pansy offered. She primped her hair and smirked at him.

"Really?" Draco asked. He couldn't believe that Pansy would help him woo Granger.

"Sure, I'm a girl, I know what girls like," Pansy smirked at him. Draco didn't like the look in her eyes. "Like, I really like it when I guy does this thing where he. Well, come here I'll show you." Pansy began reaching for the zipper of her skirt.

"Pans! I don't need that kind of help. Thanks, but no thanks."He decided there was no way he was talking to Pansy about anything to do with Granger.

Pansy offered a real grin this time. "Let's go to lunch." Draco followed her out of the empty classroom and to the Great Hall.

* * *

 _My Darling Son,_

 _I have good news! I have spoken with Headmaster Dumbledore and he has granted you leave to celebrate Halloween at home with me and your father. I know your father looks forward to seeing you again; it has been so long since the two of you have been able to spend any time together._

 _He is a little worn after being released from that awful prison. You will need to keep that in mind when you speak with him._

 _However, he has asked after you. He longs to see you again, dear. I am happy that our family will have the chance to be together again._

 _I will be by Hogwarts to pick you up on 27 October. You will be with us through 2 November, when I will escort you back to school._

 _Study hard my beloved Draco. Know your father and I are proud of all of your accomplishments._

 _With all of my love,_

 _Your Mother_

Draco groaned, oh _fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck._ He was being summoned home to see his father. This was not good and he was not prepared. He had been thinking he wouldn't see his father until Christmas. It was 21 October already, which meant that in six days he'd be seeing the father he hadn't seen since Easter holidays during his fifth year. His father had been taken away to Azkaban immediately following the battle at the Department of Mysteries, and Draco hadn't seen him at all over the summer.

 _Oh, shite, Halloween! The Beta Ceremony!_ How could he have forgotten? Fenrir had written him that it would take place over Halloween; he looked at his schedule and saw that the next full moon was going to be on 1 November. It was all clicking into place. He would not only have to worry about the Beta Ceremony, but his father was going to be present. He read through his mother's letter again, trying to read between her lines. _He's asked after me, so has someone told him I'm a werewolf?_ He couldn't be sure, but he didn't think his mother would unless she had to. But that didn't mean that someone else wouldn't. Any number of people could have told his father. The Dark Lord, Fenrir, Aunt Bella, Snape, and anyone who had been at that bloody meeting he had been summoned to.

He wasn't one for lists, but he suddenly found himself making a list of all the things he needed to do while he was at home for a week. First on that list was scouring the Manor library for any mentions of Vanishing Cabinets. Second, figuring out a way to kill Dolohov. He could feel Reule's approval at adding that item to the list. Beta Ceremony, both in human and wolf form, was third. Fourth would be talking to his father. Hopefully that would be the end of it. It was going to be busy enough, and he was sure he wasn't going to be able to escape an audience with the Dark Lord. It was Halloween after all; and the Dark Lord obsessed about Halloween. Draco guessed it was because that's when the Dark Lord had disappeared the first time, having tried to kill Potter.

Draco groaned He really needed to start figuring out the Vanishing Cabinet in the Come and Go Room. He had examined it thoroughly; he'd even tried to send an apple through, but nothing happened after he spoke the incantation. He desperately needed to get into the Restricted Section of the library. Maybe Snape would write him a pass? He had offered help; he thought through the rest of his teachers and knew none of the rest would write him one without a valid reason. He decided he'd speak to Snape after his next Defense class.

* * *

Draco found Granger in the library later that week. She was in a back corner, near the Restricted Section. He had been avoiding her, but his mother was due to pick him up tomorrow. He knew he had to talk to her before he left for home.

It was obvious she had been there most of the day, based on the amount of books she had stacked in front of her. He put his bag down and slid into the chair next to her.

"Hermione," he greeted, pulling one of the books she had on the table toward him, _Magick Moste Evile_ it read. He raised an eyebrow at her when she finally looked up at him. She saw which book he had and avoided his eyes.

"Doing a little light reading?" he asked with an arrogant half smile.

"Malfoy, what can I help you with?" she responded coolly, closing the book she had in front of her and leaning back. She was keeping an eye on the book he had started to leaf through.

"Not reading material I would have expected Gryffindor's Golden Girl to be into," he murmured as he leafed through the book.

"I didn't realize you were into alliteration, Malfoy," she was clearly trying to distract him - or provoke him. He decided it wasn't really worth riling her up, especially when he was fighting with himself between wanting to snog her senseless and hex her for spilling secrets to Potter.

"Let's find a quiet place to talk," he said quietly. She looked up at him, questioning.

"Why should I go somewhere alone with you, Malfoy? The last time we were alone, I got yelled at," she responded primly.

Draco groaned, "Can we please discuss this somewhere privately?" A pair of third year Ravenclaws had turned the corner. He turned to glare at them and they took one look at him and fled the area.

She began stuffing books in her bag and huffed, "Fine, Room of Requirement? I'll meet you up there."

"What? You mean the Come and Go Room?" he asked, confused. He hadn't heard it called the Room of Requirement before.

"Same thing, different names," she said. " _Hogwarts: A History_ uses them interchangeably," she informed him, still piling her books and parchment into her bag.

"I'll be up there in ten," he told her and walked out of the library.

He paced in front of the Come and Go Room, thinking about the last time the two of them were in there. She had shown him that horrific curse scar from Dolohov. When he opened the door, the room gave him the same space. There was the same couch, a couple of bookshelves, and the fireplace. He sat down on the couch to wait for her.

He didn't wait long, the door opened, and she stepped inside, dropping her bag on the floor. Then she just stood in front of the door, her wand dangling between her fingers.

"Granger, put your wand away. I'm not going to yell at you. But we do have some things we need to discuss, Potter among them," he admitted, running a hand through his hair.

Granger's lips tightened and she nodded once, and tucked her wand back up the sleeve of her robe. She stepped closer to the couch, but didn't sit. He patted the spot next to him and she snorted.

"I'll stand thanks."

He wanted to be mad at her for telling Potter; he wanted to snog her because she was so damn lovely looking down at him; and he wanted to talk about being a werewolf with her because she was so bloody smart and insightful.

"I'm worried about Reule, he took control when I dueled Potter," Draco admitted, standing up and pacing toward the fireplace.

"Reule stepped in? How does he do that? And why? Was it because you were cornered? Or because he didn't think you could take care of yourself? That is fascinating," she sounded like she was deep in thought, and when he turned to look at her, she had a faraway look in her eyes.

"Granger," he snapped, getting her attention back to him. "I'm sure it's because I was cornered, Reule basically told me that. I just have never had him take over like that when I wasn't already a wolf or near the full moon."

She nodded, "That makes sense. I'm glad you are all right. And that neither you nor Harry are hurt. Could Reule do that? Hurt someone when you aren't in charge?

"That's what I'm worried about, it was bloody scary. I don't like losing control, what if it happens in a class? Or in front of the Dark Lord? I don't know what Reule is capable of," he confessed.

"You'll have to figure out how to become one with Reule. It's possible, right?" She had a worried look on her face that made him want to hold her.

"Yes, it's possible. Fenrir basically told me that I wouldn't be happy until I was able to reconcile the two halves," he sighed in frustration. He walked back toward her and put his arms on her shoulders, but she shrugged him off.

"Fine," he threw up his hands in frustration and paced back to the couch. "I've been summoned home," he told her flatly, and flopped down onto the couch.

"Oh, Draco, no! Does this mean you'll have to see your father?" her demeanor softened at the pronouncement that he was going to have to go home. She toed off her shoes and curled her feet under her as she knelt next to him on the couch. She must not have been as angry as he thought. He nodded at her question. He was glad she wasn't fighting with him; he didn't think he could stand it if they fought right now.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, worry lining her brows.

"There's nothing I can do, the Beta Ceremony is scheduled to happen at Halloween, and my father will be home. I wasn't sure from mother's letter, but it sounds like he knows that I've been bitten. Mother comes to collect me tomorrow," he leaned back into the couch and closed his eyes.

"Fenrir can help, right? And your mother? Your father wouldn't hurt you, would he?" He looked up and saw that she was biting her lip and her face was scrunched with concern. He felt himself stir at the sight. He wanted to be the one biting that lip. He put his hand on her cheek, and ran his thumb over her lip, tugging it out of her teeth.

"I'll be fine. My father can't really do anything worse than he's already done," he told her, his voice sounded husky to him as he eyed her lips.

She darted her tongue out to wet her lips, and when he looked up at her own eyes, he could see she was looking at his lips in return. He dipped his head in for a soft, chaste kiss. She put her hands on his chest and leaned toward him, so opened his mouth to let his tongue explore that lip she had been biting. When she gasped, he took advantage and plundered her mouth. He moved his hand from her cheek to the back of her neck and tilted her head to a better angle, his other hand gripping her hip. He pulled at her hip until she picked up her leg and straddled him. Her hands clutched at his chest, and then went up around his neck to card through his hair.

He put both hands on her hips and pushed her down, so she could feel what she was doing to him. She gasped at the contact and broke the kiss, looking down at him. He lifted his hips, feeling her hot center, her skirt draped around his lap. She started at the contact and then moaned and tossed her head back as she ground on top of him. He leaned forward to nuzzle her neck, marking his favorite spot. He could see a very faint bruise and resolved to never stay away from her long enough for it to disappear entirely.

"Draco," she moaned, breathless.

"Hermione, I want you so bad. I want to take you and mark you as mine," he rumbled into her neck.

"Please," she said, pulling her head up, eyes laden with lust.

"Not yet. Gods how I wish I could, but not yet," he leaned his forehead against hers and they both breathed heavily.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to brownlark42 and twztdwildcat! You can find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff where you'll see manips for each chapter and other stories I write. As always, I live for your reviews. For everyone who has reviewed thus far, you are amazing and fuel this story. Next few chapters are super action packed, can't wait to get them up!**


	14. Chapter 14

Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) was not a stupid woman. She did not have a Dark Mark on her arm, unlike her simpering sister and her principled husband. Nor did she want to have a Dark Mark on her arm. Narcissa Malfoy played things closer to the chest than that. The number one priority in Narcissa's life was her son, Draco. Number two was her family: Lucius and the extended Black family. But Draco always came first. Every decision Narcissa made was with Draco in mind.

She sat drinking tea with the werewolf, Fenrir Greyback, smiling like a love-struck fool. Narcissa Malfoy was not a love-struck fool. She was nobility, according to wizarding standards. She was raised on political intrigue, and she knew how to play within those rules and constructs.

Narcissa always got what she wanted.

She smiled demurely at Greyback, noting that he was dressed decently and no longer stinking. Her son's influence, she was told. She was proud that her son was able to have influence over his Alpha to such a degree. It spoke to the way Draco was raised. Narcissa wouldn't need her furniture cleaned after this visit, like she had after the wolf's first visit to her solar. She batted her eyelashes and looked up through them, like a schoolgirl on a date with her intended. Narcissa Malfoy played the game.

"Fenrir, darling, I am so happy you have been there for dear Draco. He needs a strong, male influence in his life," she cooed. She knew werewolves typically weren't the fastest brooms in the shed, but the way Greyback was lapping this up surprised even her. _How had he become Alpha if he was so easy to fool?_

As a woman in pureblood society, she only had so many tools in her arsenal to use, and her beauty and mild flirtations were some of them. She wielded those tools the way a warrior witch would have wielded her wand: with power, finesse, and ruthlessness.

She could see Greyback puff up at her compliment, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. A well-heeled witch never rolled her eyes. All men, even werewolves, were typical.

"He will be my Beta, Narcissa. I would do anything for my pack, and more for my Beta," Fenrir boasted, as he clumsily patted her hand.

 _I'll need a bath after this_ , Narcissa thought, as she forced herself to conceal the shudder of revulsion that rolled through her.

When Greyback stood to leave, Narcissa stood with him and followed him to the door.

"Do come back and see me soon, Fenrir. It does get lonely up here with just my sister for company and Draco away at school," Narcissa pouted up at the hulking man and lightly laid her hand upon his forearm.

"The pup will be home soon, Narcissa. Full moon is just a week away," Greyback leered down at her. Narcissa smiled up at him in response.

"Of course, I'll be fetching him in a few days. It will be so good to see him again," Narcissa said.

Greyback grasped her hand and gave it a lingering kiss, gently pressing his tongue on her skin. As he lumbered out of the room, Narcissa pulled her wand and cast a strong _Scourgify_ at her hand.

 _Werewolf saliva_ , she grimaced to herself. She called for an elf to take away the tea and decided she could do with a bath after all.

* * *

When Lucius arrived at Malfoy Manor after his incarceration at Azkaban, he was dressed in the rags he had been given in prison. Narcissa was not allowed to go to the Ministry to collect him, so her dear sister Bella had that honor.

Bella pranced through the door, tugging on the sleeve of Lucius' tattered grey prison robes. Lucius staggered in behind her, looming in the doorway - he was a large man, despite the time he had spent in prison. His long, blonde hair was no longer sleek and shiny, but a ratted mess at the back of his head. Every centimeter of skin that Narcissa could see looked filthy, and he had open sores oozing on his knees and elbows.

"Narcissa," Bella called out in a sing-song voice. "I've brought your husband home to you!"

Narcissa had been standing the foyer, dressed in her customary black robes, hands clasped in front of her as she awaited the return of her husband. Sadly, it wasn't her husband who was returned to her. The man that she saw in front of her was not the Lucius Malfoy she had fallen in love with. This was a shell, an empty shell of a wizard.

Stepping forward, she greeted her husband, "Lucius, it is good to have you home. Let's go and get you cleaned up."

She held out a hand to him, intending to lead them up to their shared suite. He stared at her hand a moment, before reaching out to grasp it - his hand was ice cold in hers. He seemed to look through her and Narcissa felt sure her original thought was correct. This man was not her husband.

Narcissa led him up the sweeping staircase and to the east wing where the family lived. She didn't say a word to him until they were behind the closed doors of their suite, with all of the appropriate wards, locking, and silencing charms in place.

She called for an elf and had a bath drawn for Lucius. She banished the rags he was wearing and helped him into the tub. Lucius didn't move or attempt to wash himself. He just sat there and didn't say a word.

Narcissa sighed heavily and knelt down to wash him. She grabbed the flannel and rubbed it with the soap bar - it was the sandalwood scent he had always favored. She slowly, softly began scrubbing him, reaching every part of his body. Careful around his oozing wounds, but cleaning them thoroughly.

Finally, she washed his matted hair. It took her a long time to work through all of the knots and mats, but she was finally able to comb her fingers through his mane without snagging them. It still looked sickly and frayed when she was done, but at least it was clean. She felt him sigh when she was finished. She vanished the dirty bath water and refilled the tub with clean hot water, intending to let him soak. As he soaked, she rubbed his shoulders, neck, and scalp. He slowly, so slowly, began to relax to her ministrations.

"Cissy," he rasped out. His voice was hoarse with disuse. The word caused him to break into a hacking coughing fit, Narcissa slowly rubbed his back until he was still again. Her heart broke at the sound of his voice. The thought that her once proud husband had been reduced to this was heart wrenching.

"Yes, I am here Lucius," Narcissa replied calmly. She was working her way down his arms and pulling on his fingers. His hands began to feel warm at last. When she looked up in his eyes, she could see that he was back. The fire he had always had was there, perhaps dimmer than it had been in the past, but it was there. For the moment, her husband was back. She could only hope that it would last.

"Lucius," she murmured to him.

"I'm here, Cissy. I'm here," he responded, his voice somewhat stronger this time. He lifted a hand and cupped her cheek. She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes. She wanted to fall into his arms a blubbering mess, but pure-blood witches did not fall apart like that, not even with their husbands. Especially not to their husbands that they weren't sure they could trust. His mind might be back now, but this was still not the same Lucius she had gotten used to in all the years that the Dark Lord was gone. Even before Azkaban, her Lucius had changed. He became harder, colder. He was not someone she recognized.

"Draco, is he-?" Lucius didn't seem to be able to ask the question.

"He is fine, Lucius. He is up at Hogwarts as we speak," Narcissa reassured him. He visibly slumped at the news.

"The Dark Lord is merciful," Lucius muttered. Narcissa just nodded. She stood and grabbed a towel that had been lying on the vanity. She vanished the water from the tub, and began to dry her husband. When he was dry, she helped him step out of the tub and into pyjamas and a dressing robe. Then she helped him into their marital bed.

Once he was settled, she called for broth and water from a house elf, feeding Lucius herself when it arrived.

Narcissa tended Lucius for four days, while he convalesced in their bed. Nobody came to see them, and Narcissa did not leave their suite. Even when Lucius was napping during the day, Narcissa only went as far as the sitting room that fronted their bedroom suite. She did not tell Lucius anything that had happened to Draco over the summer. He wasn't going to hear that news from her. If she could, she'd keep it from him entirely.

* * *

Narcissa arrived at Hogwarts on a blustery fall day. The wind whipped her cloak around her and rain spattered on her boots. At her touch, the gates opened and she made her way to the entrance of the castle. She was glad she had written ahead and the Headmaster knew to expect her. Severus was waiting for her when she arrived at the Entrance Hall. He extended his arm to her and led her to the Headmasters office. They didn't speak.

Draco was waiting for her in the Headmaster's office, and she offered him a sincere smile - it was good to see him.

"Mother," Draco greeted her, he took her hand from Severus' arm and kissed the back of it before tucking it in his own arm. It warmed her heart to see his good manners.

"Mrs. Malfoy, would you like a lemon drop?" The headmaster offered, without any twinkle in his eyes.

"Thank you, but no, we must be on our way Headmaster. Thank you again for releasing Draco from school this week. His father has just arrived home and yearns to see his son," Narcissa responded regally, looking down her nose at the Headmaster.

"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy, you can lead your mother to the gates?" Headmaster Dumbledore gestured to the staircase leading down.

"Of course, Headmaster," Draco replied offering a nod to both the Headmaster and Severus before leading Narcissa down the staircase and out of the castle.

They didn't say a word as they exited the castle. Upon reaching the gates, Narcissa looked up at her son. He had grown again, he might even be taller than Lucius. She smiled at him and pulled out her wand, Apparating them both to the front foyer of Malfoy Manor.

"Welcome home, Draco," Narcissa whispered as she hugged her son close. Upon releasing him, she saw both Bella and Lucius waiting for them.

"Father," Draco said, moving toward Lucius. Lucius looked him up and down, and then embraced him. She was right, Draco was now several centimeters taller than Lucius.

Draco nodded to Bella and then proceeded down the hall toward the dungeons and the dueling court.

Bella cackled at the family reunion and left in the direction of the drawing room, where the Dark Lord had taken up court.

"Narcissa, what happened to our son?" Lucius asked calmly. She could tell by the way he was moderating his tone that he knew something was wrong. This was not how she wanted this to happen.

"Let's go upstairs and discuss this in the privacy of our suite, husband," Narcissa replied tightly, extending her hand to him.

"I think not," Lucius told her coldly. "The Dark Lord has asked for my presence." He puffed his chest a bit, and Narcissa sighed sadly. This would be Lucius' first audience with the Dark Lord since his recovery. She could only hope that it did not result in torture.

"Of course, Lucius," she nodded and swept up the stairs to their suite.

* * *

Lucius did not make it to their bed that night. Narcissa could only hope that meant he went to his study to catch up on the various family business interests and correspondence. Not that he was lying somewhere in there house too injured to get up or worse, dead.

Narcissa sighed heavily as she rose from her bed and dressed for the day. The one bright spot she had to look forward to is her son being home for the week. She hoped that she could ease the relationship between Lucius and Draco, especially since Lucius didn't know that Draco was a werewolf, yet.

Narcissa had just finished breakfast in her solar when Lucius stormed in. He appeared freshly bathed and it didn't look like he recently suffered torture. There was no bruising or tremors the _Cruciatus_ curse usually left.

"How could you let this happen, Narcissa?" Lucius cried. Narcissa raised an eyebrow, subtly placing the family wards on the room and adding a silencing charm.

"You'll have to explain. What have I let happen, Lucius?" Narcissa asked, gesturing for him to sit in the chair across from her.

Instead of sitting, he kicked the chair she pointed at and it toppled over. Narcissa palmed her wand. This was not the Lucius she married, this was the new Lucius. The one that didn't appear until the Dark Lord rose again.

"Bella tells me that our son is a filthy half-breed. That - that beast, Greyback bit him. HE'S A FUCKING WEREWOLF!" Lucius roared at her, spittle flying. Narcissa was glad that his wand was still out of sight.

"Lucius, do you think I had a choice?" Narcissa asked soothingly, her wand still ready in her hand. She wasn't taking any chances with this Lucius.

Lucius glared at her. He kicked a table and the vase on top wobbled before shattering on the tile floor.

"The Dark Lord demanded it of him as payment for your mistakes, Lucius. What would you have had me do? Contradict the Dark Lord?" Narcissa asked.

"Taken his place! Asked for him to be Marked! Anything but become what he is now! He can't be the heir if he's a bleeding half-breed wolf!"

"Have our only son be Marked by the Dark Lord? I would rather him be a werewolf," Narcissa told him quietly.

Lucius hissed at her in response, glaring.

"You are too old to have another heir, Narcissa," Lucius said crudely.

"Lucius Abraxas Malfoy! Draco is still your son, despite his change in circumstances. He is your heir," Narcissa was livid at his implication that they would need to have another child now that Draco was a werewolf. Yes, it was a setback, but it wasn't the end of the world. It would be a small, hidden detail in the history of their family.

Lucius sneered at her, "Clearly I need to find someone else to bear me a new heir!"

That's when Narcissa lost her temper. She hexed him. She had only hexed Lucius a handful of times the entire time they had been married, but he deserved it at this moment.

Lucius dodged Narcissa's stinging hex and disarmed her silently, catching her wand as it went sailing by his head.

"I don't think so, Narcissa," Lucius laughed coldly at her as he towered over her chair.

He backhanded her then, his signet ring digging into her cheek as her head was knocked against the back of the chair at the force of the slap. He grasped her chin and forced her to look him deep in the eyes. The husband she had married and loved was nowhere to be seen. This was the new man, the one who only appeared after the Dark Lord came back. This was the monster. She could feel the blood from the cut his ring had made trickle down the side of her cheek.

She wrenched her chin away from his hand.

"Lucius, there was nothing I could have done! I wasn't informed what would be happening until Bella told me the day before the full moon. Even Draco wouldn't tell me!" Narcissa pleaded with him. She wasn't backing down, not yet, she held herself stiff and erect. She pushed aside any thoughts of her Lucius. He was gone, and now the only thing she could do was protect Draco.

"You could have stopped them! That was my son you relegated to a half-breed!" Lucius was shouting again, leaning over her, she could feel his breath ruffling her hair. She stared straight ahead, not meeting his gaze. It was as if she was suddenly a young girl again and Lucius had morphed into her father. She was raised by a man like this, and she knew how to get out of an argument without any more injury.

"I'm sorry, Lucius. I failed," Narcissa said quietly.

"That's right, you failed. And now there isn't a Malfoy heir!" He roared at her, grasping her by the shoulders and leaning in toward her. He was so close that his mouth was almost touching her ear, and she could feel his hot, angry breath against her neck. Narcissa kept herself from flinching, but it was a near thing.

Suddenly Lucius hissed in pain, released her, and clutched his left forearm. He was being called away to his master. Narcissa allowed herself a tiny breath of relief.

"This isn't over," he hissed at her as he swept out the door, slamming it closed.

Narcissa sat a moment longer before she started shaking, and at once broke down into tears. How could she go on without the warm, caring man she had married? The man she had raised her son with? Lucius had always been proud, he lived by the same rules Narcissa did. The refined pure-blood face in public, but they raised their son with love and laughter.

The man that just left this room was not that man. She would not get her husband back. Lucius had turned into a man just like her father. She would not allow him to hurt her son, and she would not allow him to hurt her family. If there was one thing that Narcissa believed in, it was protecting her family. Family mattered.

* * *

Narcissa invited Greyback to her solar later that afternoon. She didn't want to have to resort to this, but Draco came first.

"Fenrir, I'm so glad you were able to join me for tea again," her smile dazzled as she poured his tea and added the three lumps of sugar he liked.

"Of course, Narcissa," he smirked back at her, sipping his tea.

"You know that Lucius is home?" Narcissa asked. She figured she would get this conversation over with as soon as possible. Draco needed protection.

"Yes, I am part of the Inner Circle these days, I have seen your husband finally take his place at the Dark Lord's side," Greyback told her smugly.

Narcissa offered a weak smile, "Of course, you have. He is unhappy with Draco's circumstances-"

Greyback hissed and glared, but Narcissa patted his arm.

"I'm not unhappy at all, Fenrir, I think it's all rather grand. A werewolf, Beta to the Alpha, the Dark Lord's new army. It's all very exciting, and werewolves are so powerful" Narcissa told him. "Lucius doesn't see it that way, and now that he's home from Azkaban, I'm worried he will take it out on Draco." Narcissa lowered her eyes to her lap, trying to conceal her tears. They were genuine tears of fear. She had found in the past that being able to cry in earnest - and on command - was a useful skill to have.

Greyback grasped her chin to have her meet his eyes. He brushed away a tear with his thumb and cradled her cheek.

"Narcissa, I promise to look after Draco. Nobody and nothing will happen to him under my watch."

She could hear in his voice that Greyback made the promise sincerely. And despite having his filthy paw still on her face, she leaned into it as if gathering comfort from his touch, and she felt the coil of tension in her release a little at his words. One more person looking out for Draco. She needed someone, and it was clear Lucius was incapable.

"Fenrir, thank you so much," she told him as she lifted her own hand to cover his. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. When she opened them, Fenrir was just inches from her face, looking hungrily at her lips. _Oh no, it can't go this far, think Narcissa!_ She pulled away slowly and looked up at him with wide eyes.

"Oh, Fenrir, you are such a dear friend. Lucius is positively livid at the moment. I mustn't do anything to anger him further," Narcissa said, dropping her hands back to her lap, "even if I might want to," she added softly.

"Of course, Narcissa. It was inappropriate of me," Fenrir backed off.

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Draco, I very much want him as my Beta and I will do everything I can to make that happen," Fenrir said as he stood and headed toward the door.

"Thank you, Fenrir," Narcissa replied as he left. She waited until the door was closed before wiping her hands with a handkerchief.

One down, one to go. Narcissa stood and went to her desk in the corner of the room. She needed to compose a letter to Severus, one that would convey her worry about Draco and Lucius, but also gave nothing away. Severus was her friend, before he became Lucius' friend. She felt sure that he would work to protect Draco on her behalf.

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to twztdwildcat and brownlark42! Those ladies make me a better writer! And I'm loving all of the reviews, they make my heart happy. Let me know your thoughts on this chapter! As I mentioned last time, the next few chapters are pivotal and action packed, as such, they may take a bit longer than normal to get out.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Graphic violence/torture below.**

* * *

Fenrir watched Draco walk into the pack's dueling court and a huge cheer went up. Draco grinned as he saw that the whole pack had been waiting for him to arrive. Fenrir grinned in response and walked forward to greet his pup.

Fenrir shook Draco's hand, then pulled him into a hug. As Fenrir turned back to the group, he squeezed his pup close. It was good to have everyone together again.

"Our future Beta is back! Let's celebrate!" Fenrir announced. The center of the dueling court was set with tables, laden with a feast. The butterbeer and firewhisky were flowing as the pack relaxed, each of them eager to catch up with Draco.

The collective felt complete again, and that alone was enough to ease Fenrir's nerves. He joined Draco, Seff, and Arnou at the table, keeping silent as he listened to his pack talk, joke, and laugh with each other. It was good to have his family home.

"Wha's this I hear abou' a mate, pup?" Arnou asked Draco, waggling his shaggy eyebrows at him.

Fenrir chuckled at the dull red color that appeared on Draco's cheeks at the question.

"You have a mate? Why didn't you tell me? What's she like? What does she smell like? I hope she's pretty. Is she pretty?" Seff asked, rushing his words together. This only made Fenrir laugh harder. Seff had never met a wolf with a mate before - they must seem almost mythological to him.

Draco's blush deepened even more at Seff's questions.

"She's pretty, smells amazing," Draco mumbled to the group.

"I'm afraid they'll want more details than that, pup," Fenrir prodded. Draco glared at him for a moment and then huffed.

"Fine, she's the smartest witch in our year. Bloody beautiful to boot. And powerful, never gets a spell wrong, learns them all on the first try. And she's kind. We weren't friends, never have been friends, but she's been so damn nice to me. Almost inexplicably nice," Draco sounded puzzled over this.

"Tha's the bond," Arnou piped up.

"But I haven't marked her yet…" Draco's brows furrowed.

"But you've kissed her? Done other things?" Fenrir raised an eyebrow at him. He knew about mate bonds. They were heady, and they sneak up on you if you weren't paying attention.

Draco admitted a bit sullenly, "Yeah."

Arnou nodded in response, "It's the bond. The mate bond reaffirms with each touch, kiss, lick, fuck…" He trailed off, looking at Draco like he was hoping for details.

Seff's eyes went wide, "You've had sex with your mate already? You've only been gone two months!"

Draco groaned and dropped his head into his hands. Fenrir chuckled. This was better entertainment than a Death Eater revel. He loved his pack.

"No, Seff," Draco bit out. "I have not had sex with my mate. Not that I didn't want to. The bond is powerful. Two months ago, if you told me that this is the girl I would be panting after, I would have laughed in your face. Now I can hardly stand to be in the same room with her without wanting to shag her silly. It doesn't help that we share a lot of the same classes."

Fenrir grinned, "Aren't you going to tell them who your mate is?" He addressed the rest of the group, they had all stopped to listen about their almost-Beta's mate, "She's famous."

Draco glared at Fenrir, and Fenrir just chuckled, "Own up to it, pup. They're all going to find out eventually. Especially when we go tell the Dark Lord."

"It's Hermione Granger," Draco told the group, very quietly.

"Granger? Did he say Granger?" Arnou asked, acting like he was hard of hearing. Draco glared at him as the rest of the group laughed.

Seff looked awed, "You snagged Hermione Granger as your mate? Isn't she best friends with Harry Potter? Didn't she date Viktor Krum?"

Draco growled at Seff. While the rest of the group guffawed. Rand had stalked up by that point and clapped Draco on the back.

"It's alright, pup. Nobody but you will be dating your mate anymore," Rand told him.

"So, do you know Harry Potter?" Seff asked.

"Seff! Of course, I know bloody Saint Potter," Draco spat at him. "He's not that great."

"Omega. We are guests of the Dark Lord," Fenrir reminded Seff. Seff nodded, looking away.

"We will have to discuss this with the Dark Lord, Draco. I think I have enough favor with him that we will be able to protect her," Fenrir told Draco. He waved at the rest of the group and they went back to their meal.

"Fenrir, can we chat about my mate privately?" Draco asked, not meeting Fenrir's eye. Fenrir nodded and stood up, he led Draco to his tent and gestured for Draco to sit at the small table in the kitchenette once they were inside.

Fenrir poured them each a glass of firewhisky from the bottle that was on top of the table.

"Spill, pup," Fenrir said.

"You know who she is, she's already fought in a battle in this damn war that's brewing. She has this scar. Gods, Fenrir, you should see it, it goes from her left tit to her right hip. It's thick and ropey and it looks so fucking raw," Draco told him, holding the glass of firewhisky. Draco took a drink and couldn't stop the wince - but soon enough his mask was back in place.

"A curse scar?" Fenrir asked, sipping his own firewhisky.

"Yeah, from the battle at the Department of Mysteries. Half of my fucking family was at that battle! What if it had been my psychotic fucking aunt who did that to her? Or my own father? When she told me who did it, I could feel the rage pouring off of me." Draco became increasingly agitated. "My vision went red for Merlin's sake! I wanted to fucking murder him! And then, she was so vulnerable, trying to tell me how she wasn't pretty enough or something now…" Draco rambled on and Fenrir let him. He could see that his pup needed to talk to someone about this.

After Draco had fallen silent, Fenrir asked, "Who was it?"

"What?"

"Who gave her the scar, pup?" Fenrir's voice was controlled, but inside he was seething. He hated seeing anyone in his pack in as much pain as his pup was. And the thought that someone had maliciously hurt the pup's mate. He'd met his pup's mate, she was just a little thing, seemed sweet as honey. It made him burn with hatred.

"Dolohov," Draco replied. "I want him dead."

"Consider it done, it would be my pleasure," Fenrir grinned at the thought of being the one to murder Dolohov. He wouldn't even plan to ask for the Dark Lord's permission. He'd just make it so Dolohov's body was never found.

"No, Fenrir. I want to do it," Draco told him his voice firm and strong.

"You sure, pup? Once you kill someone, there's no going back from that," Fenrir chided.

"She's my mate. I'm going to be the one who kills that twisted fucker, Dolohov." Draco's voice brooked no argument.

Fenrir just nodded, "All right, you can kill him. I'll secure it with the Dark Lord. He wants to mark you, pup. And I'm going to have to let him."

"What!? You don't think this is punishment enough!?" Draco shouted at him, pointing between the two of them. Fenrir paused and looked at Draco impassively. He knew being a werewolf was not in Draco's life plans, but he had expected him to come to terms with it over the months.

"Sorry, that was in poor taste, Fenrir." Draco looked away.

Fenrir just nodded, "He wants to tie the pack closer to him. I told you he wants us to be the brunt of his army. It's the deal I made with him, and it aligns with my own goals."

"What are your goals?" Draco asked him.

"Same as the Dark Lord's, I want to rule the world," Fenrir grinned at his pup.

"You can't both rule the world," Draco replied.

"That's why you will be my Beta before his Death Eater," Fenrir told him. Draco looked surprised, realizing exactly what they were discussing in the Dark Lord's headquarters.

"Are you saying what I think you are?" Draco asked.

"I'm saying that my goals align with the Dark Lord's goals. For now at least," Fenrir replied with a wink. Draco nodded and gulped his firewhisky.

* * *

"Fenrir, how isss your Beta?" The Dark Lord asked him.

When Fenrir had arrived to answer his summons that evening, he was relieved to note it was just him and the Dark Lord. It was much easier to give the Dark Lord what he wanted if there wasn't an audience around - aside from the Dark Lord's familiar, Nagini, winding around on the floor of the drawing room. Fenrir held back a grimace at the thought of that giant man-eating snake. Fenrir didn't mind most pets, but there was something different about that snake.

"He's not my Beta yet, my Lord. But he will be in a few days. The first ceremony is the day after tomorrow, then he'll be the official Beta after the ceremony held during the full moon," Fenrir told the Dark Lord.

The Dark Lord nodded at him. "And how isss dear Draco sssettling in with your pack? Luciusss isss becoming a problem. Hopefully, it'sss not a family isssue." The Dark Lord was standing at the window, looking over the rolling, moonlit hills of the Malfoy estate.

"He's doing well with the pack, my Lord. He will be a fine Beta, and an even better Death Eater," Fenrir capitulated. He was working on massaging the Dark Lord's ego. He planned to inform him of his pup's mate status and ask for Dolohov's head as part of his pup's Marking.

"Excellent, Fenrir," the Dark Lord grinned at him, his pointed teeth gleaming.

"I do need to bring to your attention the issue of Draco's mate," Fenrir began.

"Hisss mate? What do you mean?" the Dark Lord looked suspicious as he turned away from the window to fully face Fenrir.

"I'm assuming you know about werewolf mates, my Lord? I would be happy to provi-" Fenrir was cut off by the Dark Lord's hissing. Fenrir took a step back.

"Get on with it, Fenrir. I know all about werewolvesss and their matesss," the Dark Lord snapped at him.

"When Draco boarded the Hogwarts Express to go back to school, he encountered his mate. It will be very beneficial for us to make use of her," Fenrir told him flatly.

"Who isss it?" the Dark Lord asked with narrowed eyes.

"Hermione Granger, Potter's mudblood friend," Fenrir replied. Nagini reared up and hissed at the sound of Potter's name. The Dark Lord hissed back at her, clearly they were speaking to each other.

"That isss interesssting, Fenrir." The Dark Lord looked thoughtful for a long moment. "She would be a good resssource to cultivate. I will revoke the order to kill her on sssight. It will become a capture order," the Dark Lord replied imperiously.

"You are merciful, my Lord," Fenrir replied, bowing his head.

"I also would like to beg a favor, as a part of Draco's Marking," Fenrir went on.

"Yesss? I am inclined to grant a favor to sssomeone who can bring me one of Potter'sss inner circle," the Dark Lord told him. Fenrir was relieved; he thought he was going to have to fight harder for Dolohov.

"It has to do with his mate, my Lord. Last spring when she fought my brothers at the Department of Mysteries, she was injured by one of them. The injury has left a severe scar on her, and Draco, wants revenge on the Death Eater who caused the injury."

"Who isss it?" the Dark Lord asked, twirling his hand in a hurry it up gesture.

"Dolohov," Fenrir replied, wincing. He couldn't meet the Dark Lord's eyes. He was pretty sure he wouldn't instantly be killed, but one never knew with the Dark Lord.

"Done," the Dark Lord told him.

"Really?" Fenrir couldn't stop himself.

"Do you quessstion your massster, Fenrir?" the Dark Lord asked. Fenrir flinched.

"Of course not, my Lord. I apologize. I will let Draco know that he will be able to kill Dolohov as part of his Marking," Fenrir replied.

"Do it before the Marking ceremony. It's Halloween, and we have a packed schedule that evening," the Dark Lord said.

"Of course, my Lord. You are most merciful and kind," Fenrir bowed and kissed the hem of the Dark Lord's robe. He backed away quickly as the Dark Lord flicked his fingers in dismissal.

Fenrir let out a sigh of relief as he exited the drawing room of Malfoy Manor. It was stressful meeting with the Dark Lord, but that meeting had gone about as well as it could have.

* * *

Fenrir didn't manage to track down Dolohov until the day before the first Beta ceremony. As soon as Dolohov crossed through the Malfoy wards, Draco could feel him. He alerted Fenrir.

Fenrir stalked the halls of Malfoy Manor until he came upon Dolohov, who had Narcissa Malfoy cornered in the hallway outside her solar. His arm was blocking her passage forward as he leered down at her.

"Dolohov! There you are, mate, I've been looking for you," Fenrir called from down the hall, waving a hand at him. Narcissa shot him a grateful smile, but Dolohov looked suspicious.

"Greyback? What do you want?" Dolohov practically spat at him in disgust. Fenrir rolled his eyes. He was used to the other Death Eaters treating him this. He clapped Dolohov on the back, and grinned at Narcissa, lifting her clenched hand to his lips and giving it a kiss.

"Good Afternoon, Narcissa. You look lovely today," he winked at her and she giggled.

"Fenrir, you are too kind. I must take my leave, gentlemen," she replied as she swept away down the hall.

Slinging his arm further around Dolohov's shoulders, Fenrir started guiding him toward the stairs that led to the dueling court.

"It's been too long since we've had a chance to catch up, Dolohov," Fenrir told him. Dolohov held himself stiff and was trying to break free of Fenrir's grasp. But Fenrir was a werewolf, and had the superior strength to keep a hold of him.

"We don't catch up, wolf," Dolohov snapped. He started trying to shove Fenrir's arm off his shoulders.

"We don't?" Fenrir asked, pulling Dolohov tighter to him as they started down the stairs. "Well, we should. Come, I have someone who wants to chat with you." Fenrir grinned, excited about what was to come.

"Gerroff me, wolf!" Dolohov practically shouted, pushing at Fenrir. Fenrir grasped the back of Dolohov's collar and started dragging him. They were halfway down the staircase to the dungeons and dueling court, each bump of the stairs had Dolohov cursing Fenrir.

"Now, Dolohov, is that any way to treat an old friend?" Fenrir was downright giddy at this point. It had been too long since the last revel. He relished the thought of introducing his near-Beta to the art of torture. His mouth watered at the thought of fresh blood.

As they neared the dueling court, Dolohov still cursing and struggling against Fenrir's grip.

Draco stepped out of the shadows and cast an _Incarcerous_ hex at Dolohov. Dolohov's arms and legs were tidily wrapped up in the ropes that had shot out of Draco's wand. Dolohov struggled harder.

"Aw, pup, you've taken all the fun out of it," Fenrir pouted.

Draco glared at him. "Better that he can't get out of your hold, Alpha," he snarked. Fenrir was going to have to work on loosening his pup's attitude about this. He should be much happier about destroying the wizard who disfigured his mate.

"Are they all in there?" Fenrir asked Draco, nodding at the closed doors of the dueling court.

"Yes, I told them to stay in there until you or I returned," Draco replied quietly, pocketing his wand.

"Good, let's go," Fenrir began dragging Dolohov again, as Dolohov kicked up a storm. Draco pulled his wand once more to silence him.

"Seriously, pup, listening to them beg is half the fun," Fenrir frowned.

"He can beg when we get out to the south wood, I don't want anyone following us out. Especially not my nosy fucking aunt," Draco snarled.

Fenrir decided to keep quiet the rest of the way to the south wood, but he couldn't stop the whistle from escaping his lips or the jaunty spring in his step. Torture was so much fun.

It took almost ten minutes to reach the south wood with the struggling Dolohov in tow. He couldn't break free of Draco's _Incarcerous_ or _Silencio_ , but he was still wiggling around in Fenrir's grip.

When they finally reached the clearing in the center of the wood, Fenrir dropped Dolohov and Draco cast a few protection and sanctuary wards. It wouldn't do to have to hunt Dolohov down if he escaped the area. Not that they couldn't hunt him down, but the full moon was coming up and they each needed to conserve energy for the upcoming Beta ceremonies.

Fenrir banished Dolohov's bindings and muttered "Finite Incantatem," to get rid of the silencing spell. Immediately, they heard the sound of Dolohov's cursing in Russian in the clearing.

Draco glared at Fenrir, "Really? We could have let him be silenced a bit longer - _ooph_." Draco was abruptly cut off when Dolohov tackled him.

Fenrir chortled, that was the wrong move for Dolohov. Draco laid on the ground, with Dolohov's fist raised above him for a moment, but Draco caught Dolohov's fist before it hit his face. Draco had several centimeters on Dolohov and he had been practicing his sparring with Seff and Rand all week.

Draco twisted Dolohov's fist in his grip until Dolohov was screaming. Fenrir grinned as he heard the distinctive crack of a bone snapping. He knew his pup had it in him. Dolohov wrenched himself out of Draco's grasp and lay on the ground panting, cradling his broken wrist.

"You permanently scarred my mate, you fucking Russian prick," Draco growled at him as he stood up. He aimed a kick at Dolohov's stomach, turning him over on his back.

"Listen, Malfoy, I don't know what you're talking about, I didn't -" Dolohov didn't get to finish because Draco stomped on his stomach, making Dolohov cough and choke as the breath was forced from his body.

Fenrir clapped his pup on the shoulder, and Draco tensed. He looked over his shoulder at his Alpha his blonde hair hanging in his eyes and look of raw hatred on his face.

"Don't end it too quickly, pup. Make him suffer. How many potions is your mate still taking every day?" Fenrir needled.

"Ten! She's taking ten fucking potions because of this arse-licker," Draco kicked Dolohov's shin at that, making Dolohov howl in response.

"Kid, seriously," Dolohov wheezed.

"Hermione Granger, you cocksucker!" Draco roared at him. Dolohov did have the good grace to flinch at that.

"I - I didn't mean-" Dolohov started, but Draco kicked the back of his head. It worked too well - Dolohov was unconscious.

"Ah, pup, that's all right. We'll _rennervate_ him here in a moment," Fenrir told Draco, clapping him on the shoulder.

To Fenrir's surprise, Draco shrugged his hand of. The Alpha looked closely at his pup: Draco's chest was heaving and his face still had that look of pure hatred. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, and he dug into his pocket for his wand.

"Rennervate," Draco hissed.

Dolohov came to with a gasp. He rolled over onto his back, and while Draco was distracted, Fenrir plucked Draco's wand from his hand.

When Draco turned to glare at him, Fenrir said with a grin, "I know, but it'll be so much more satisfying if you do it with your hands."

Draco nodded, then bent down and picked Dolohov up by the front of his robes. Draco had him upright and standing, before slamming a fist into Dolohov's belly. Dolohov groaned and spat on the ground.

"Do you enjoy inflicting pain on school girls?" Draco asked him.

"Malfoy, it was the Dark Lor-" Draco punched Dolohov in the face, his lip split open and blood began to trickle down Dolohov's chin.

"Kid, your own father was there-" Dolohov tried again, but this time Draco dropped him. Draco put a boot on Dolohov's chest.

"Do you think that makes it better? Do you think that makes it ok? MY FATHER IS A FUCKING MADMAN!" Draco screamed down at Dolohov, grinding his boot into Dolohov's sternum. Fenrir could hear ribs cracking from the pressure Draco was putting on the wizard.

Draco abruptly stalked away from Dolohov a few paces and the Death Eater tried pleading once more.

"Listen, kid, the Dark Lord is not going to be happy that you've got me out here torturing me. He doesn't like people to punish his followers except for him," Dolohov wheezed out.

Draco turned back to the wizard with a wicked grin on his face. Fenrir couldn't help but grin, too. He loved the idea that Draco was going to taunt and play with his prey.

"Don't you rate high enough for the inner circle, Dolohov?" Draco asked. Fenrir would have thought the pup was being too polite, but he could see the smirk deepen on Draco's face.

"What are you talking about?" the Russian asked.

"I will be taking the Dark Mark on Halloween, the Dark Lord is ever so excited to have me join his ranks. In fact, the Dark Lord is so merciful and great, he has given you to me. You are my assignment." Draco's smirk widened into a grin, and he began rolling up the sleeves of his robe. "I get to torture and kill you, and the Dark Lord will reward me with his Mark."

"That's not true! The Dark Lord wouldn't… I've been faithful to him… I went to Azkaban!" Dolohov protested, trying to back away from Draco who was stalking toward him. It was difficult with his broken wrist and ribs.

"There are more important things to the Dark Lord than loyalty," Draco said cryptically.

Fenrir watched as his pup crouched over Dolohov, wondering what his pup would do next.

"She's Potter's friend! A mudblood! How was I-" Draco cut him off with another blow to Dolohov's gut.

Once Dolohov got his breath back he made a very grave mistake, he spit into Draco's face. The glob of spittle and blood landed on Draco's cheek.

What happened next would have seemed impossibly fast, if Fenrir had not known Draco was a werewolf. Draco lunged forward onto his knees and grasped Dolohov's head, bashing it into the ground with a dull thud. Then he picked up a large rock, brought it above his head, and crashed it down onto Dolohov's nose. Fenrir could hear it break and Dolohov began to scream and squirm. Draco straddled his chest, pinning Dolohov's arms underneath his knees.

He brought the rock up again, held with two hands this time, and looked down onto Dolohov's face.

"That mudblood, is my mate and the Dark Lord knows all about it. Malfoy's protect their own," Draco growled out.

Draco brought the rock down with all his strength, and suddenly blood was splattered everywhere. Fenrir took a step back. His new robes were expensive; he didn't want them to get stained.

Draco smashed the rock down into Dolohov's face again and again. Dolohov's screams turned to whimpers and finally he was silent. All that could be heard in the clearing was Draco's heavy panting and the dull thud and squish of the rock hitting what used to be Dolohov's head.

Draco was covered in his blood and flecks of white brain matter. He didn't seem to notice that he had killed the wizard. Fenrir was glad in that moment that he had taken his pup's wand away.

"Pup, he's dead," Fenrir said softly. Draco didn't stop pounding away with the rock. Fenrir could hear now that Draco was sobbing. The first kill was always the hardest.

He stepped forward and grasped his pup's shoulder, shaking him. Finally, Draco dropped the rock to the ground. It was covered in gore, as was Draco. He pulled his pup off of the body. Draco's sobs had subsided, and he had a blank, grey look on his face. Fenrir pushed him back several steps. Then he pointed his own wand at Dolohov and transfigured him into a tree leaf. He cast a few _Tergeo_ 's at the ground, siphoning up the blood that had spilled. The pack was due out here in a little over forty-eight hours, and it wouldn't do to have the area coated in human blood.

Fenrir turned back to his pup, he had his mask back in place. Fenrir nodded at Draco and handed him back his wand. Draco cast his own _Tergeo_ at his own cloak, along with a _Scourgify_. Fenrir sniffed at him. He could barely smell the blood.

"Go in, take a shower, then join your pack, pup. You did good tonight."

* * *

 **A/N: Beta love to brownlark42 and twztdwildcat! I couldn't do this without them! And you guys, your reviews are amazing! Thank you! I'd love to hear what you thought about this latest chapter, it's a doozie, I know. And more to come soon! I can't wait to get the next few chapters up! You can find me on tumblr I'm crochetawayhpff over there. My lovely beta twztdwildcat makes manips to go with every chapter, you can find them all on tumblr.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: So sorry for the late update! Real life has been a bit of a bear lately, our house has all been sick for weeks. So hopefully updates will be coming quicker than this one. Thanks to brownlark42 for beta services! Enjoy!**

* * *

 _I've just killed a man,_ Draco thought dully as he walked back to the dueling court. _I've murdered a man in cold blood._

Draco looked down at his hands as he plodded along, despite the cleaning spells, there was blood caked under his fingernails. He lifted his sleeve to his nose, and he could still smell the tangy metallic scent of blood. He needed a shower. And maybe a drink.

Upon entering the dueling court, the rest of the pack turned toward him. Seff loped over, but as soon as he got a whiff of Draco he stopped and looked at him with wide eyes.

Draco didn't acknowledge Seff; he didn't acknowledge anyone as he trudged to his tent in the back of the large room. Once inside, he stripped down and vanished his clothing. He stepped in his shower and scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. Getting each fleck of blood out from under his fingernails. Removing the scent from his hair and skin. He turned the water on as hot as he could stand it and stood there for a while, still feeling dirty when he finally stepped out.

He dressed himself and then sat at a small table, staring bleakly at his tent walls. He didn't know how long he sat there, but eventually Fenrir flipped his tent flap open and entered the tent.

"There you are, pup. I've been looking for you," Fenrir said, sitting across from him.

Draco looked at him, his gaze listless.

"You all right, pup?" Fenrir asked with concern.

Draco nodded, then in a hushed voice said, "I killed someone tonight."

"That you did! Excellent job, the Dark Lord will be proud when he hears my report," Fenrir replied.

Draco nodded. He didn't know what else to say. He was a murderer. He didn't want to be a murderer, he had never wanted to be a murderer. Part of the reason he never wanted to take the Dark Mark was because it was a requirement. Every Death Eater murdered someone before taking the Mark. He knew why he murdered Dolohov. Granger. He was pretty sure he loved Granger. He knew he would do anything for her, anything to protect her. She was his. She belonged to him. Malfoy's protect their things. Malfoy's protect their family.

But he couldn't square that with having murdered Dolohov. He couldn't remember the emotions he felt when he was in the thick of it. He was so consumed with rage that Reule had stepped forward and taken over.

"It was Reule," Draco finally said.

"What do you mean, it was Reule?" Fenrir asked he had his brows furrowed in confusion.

"Reule took over and murdered Dolohov," Draco told him, finally looking up to meet Fenrir's eyes.

"Pup," Fenrir said gravely, "you and Reule, you're the same person. Your personality split when you were bit, but he's still you. He's your base instincts and desires. You can't blame Reule for actions that happen when he's in charge. He is you. You have to come to terms with that." The look of concern and affection on Fenrir's face calmed Draco.

Draco nodded, but didn't respond. He knew that. He knew that Reule was him. Logically he knew that, but in his heart? He wasn't sure. Reule was his base instincts and desires. Did that mean that it was Reule who loved Granger, and drove him to protect her? Not Draco? Reule had never taken charge while with Granger, so how would he even know her? _Because he's you and you've known Granger for six years_ , his mind supplied. Draco shook his head to try to clear his confusion. He was Reule, Reule was him. They were the same person, just split.

"How do you reconcile the two pieces?" He asked Fenrir his voice pensive.

"Time, acceptance. Meditation, maybe. It's something we need to work on during your Christmas hols," Fenrir told him. He reached forward and grasped Draco's forearm in camaraderie.

"The rest of the pack, they aren't killers. They won't understand. You will be Marked tomorrow, if you plan to survive this war that's coming. You have to figure out a way to deal with how you are feeling right now," Fenrir's voice was stern, but kind.

Draco nodded. Fenrir had become someone that Draco could depend on. Every time Draco owled Fenrir, Fenrir's response came immediately. He always had an answer for Draco. Draco couldn't even blame Fenrir for turning him into a werewolf, even though Fenrir was the instrument used.

No, the blame lie with his father. His father had joined the Dark Lord during the First Wizarding War. His father returned to the Dark Lord's fold, when the Dark Lord reappeared at the end of Draco's fourth year at Hogwarts. His father had been the one to fail the Dark Lord and go to Azkaban. Fenrir had been the instrument, but Lucius had been the cause.

Suddenly, there was a commotion in the dueling court. Draco heard arguing and a fracas break out.

"This is MY gods damned house! DRACO!" Lucius shouted from the front of the room. They could hear scuffling and the sounds of curses firing off.

Draco's eyes widened. This was the exact person he did not want to see right now. Fenrir nodded at him and gestured for him to leave his tent.

Draco took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before coming out of his tent. His father was being restrained near the circle of the dueling court by Rand and another wolf Udolf.

Draco sauntered up, his pureblood mask in place, "Father," he drawled.

"Get these beasts to unhand me! I will not be manhandled in my own home!" Lucius shouted, his mouth was frothing in his anger. His sleek blond hair was mussed from the struggle and his cane was lying on the floor.

Draco nodded at Rand and Udolf, indicating that they could release his father. Lucius bent down to pick up his cane and tossed his hair over his shoulder dramatically, scowling at Draco and the rest of his pack.

"Why are you down here living with the animals, son? You should be in the family wing," Lucius scolded, as he lifted his cane and poked Draco in the chest with it. He was glaring at the rest of the pack as they all came to stand behind their future Beta, in a show of solidarity. Draco rocked back on his heels and batted the cane away from him.

"Really, Father? Don't you know how dangerous werewolves are? Even in their human forms? You shouldn't antagonize us," Draco smirked at his father. He felt braver than he ever had with his father. In the past, he never would have directed a snide comment at Lucius.

Lucius' eyes narrowed at Draco.

"Us?" he spat. "You align yourself with these fiends? YOU ARE A MALFOY! ACT LIKE ONE!" Lucius shrieked at Draco, spittle flying. Draco wiped the saliva from his cheek.

Draco lifted his chin at his father, glaring and clenching his jaw. He knew now that there would be no reconciling with his father. Draco had chosen his pack before his father. It was already too late for Lucius.

"I am a werewolf, Lucius," Draco said as calm as he could. He was pleased when his voice didn't waver. Stronger, he stated, "This is my pack," gesturing to the werewolves standing behind him.

"They come before you," he said finally. His voice cold and unforgiving.

Lucius pulled his wand, pointing it at Draco's chest.

"I see. You are NOT my son, I should kill you where you stand," Lucius' voice shook with fury. Draco could feel the rage roiling off of his father in waves.

Draco sneered at Lucius, catching him off guard. Lucius swayed at the sight of his son looking at him with such condescension.

"Do it," Draco whispered. "Kill your only son, Lucius. I'd like to see what happens to you when you try. If you succeed, you realize you won't be leaving, don't you? My pack will eat you alive." Draco's sneer turned to a grin at the thought of what his pack would do to his father should Lucius follow through with his threat.

Fenrir clasped Draco on the shoulder, Draco looked back at him and winked. He turned to face his father again to see that Lucius' wand lowered and pointed toward the ground.

"I won't kill you, Draco. I'll disown you. And kill your mother, who's an easier target than you. She's already shown herself to be disloyal. I'll find a new wife, someone younger, to give me a new heir. A wife who is obedient and not swine. An heir who will make me proud and not consort with filth," Lucius growled at him. Draco clenched his teeth.

He made a decision and shook off Fenrir's grip. He dove at his father and tackled him at his waist, scrambling to pin him to the ground, his wand forgotten in the moment. He put his hands around his father's neck, and Lucius began to choke and gag. Lucius had his hands wrapped around Draco's wrists, trying to pry them off, but Draco was too strong for him. He was much larger than his father and Lucius was weak from his stay in Azkaban. Lucius was no match for his son.

"You will leave my mother alone!" Draco shouted at him, banging his father's head on the floor beneath him with each word. Draco was so enraged at this point that he could feel Reule slipping to the forefront of his mind.

Rand hauled Draco off his father by his elbows, pulling him back several meters. Draco was puffing and trying to break Rand's grip.

"Pup!" Fenrir shouted as he stepped in front of Draco. "The Dark Lord has not given you permission to kill your father. You'll have to satisfy your bloodlust with what you've already done tonight."

Fenrir placed both hands on Draco's shoulders while Rand held Draco back by the elbows.

Draco looked over Fenrir's shoulder and saw his father's eyes go wide when he realized that Draco might have already murdered someone that night. Draco smirked at his father, as Lucius clambered up off of the floor, picking up his cane and flicking his long locks behind his shoulders.

"We aren't finished, Draco," Lucius growled out as he turned and left the dueling court.

Draco took several deep breaths trying to calm himself down. At that moment, he wanted his mate. He knew that Granger would be able to calm him down, he felt a longing so strong for her that it almost bowled him over.

Fenrir patted his shoulders, "Get some sleep, pup. Tomorrow is the first part of the Beta Ceremony. You'll need your strength. Ceremony begins after lunch."

Draco nodded and headed towards his tent. When he reached the flap, Seff was there waiting for him.

"The Alpha wants me to be on hand to serve you, Beta," Seff said deferentially.

"I'm not Beta yet, Seff," Draco responded tiredly as Seff lifted the flap of the tent so Draco could go inside.

Seff followed him into the tent and pulled out his wand. He conjured a large tub and began filling it with water. Draco raised his eyebrow at Seff.

"I just took a shower," Draco said.

"And what is your stress level right now?" Seff asked, he was adding chamomile to the tub for relaxation, Draco assumed.

"Probably a twelve," Draco muttered and began to undress. It was after he undressed and was in the tub that Draco realized how sore his body was from the extra training he'd put it through the last few days.

Draco relaxed in the tub as Seff placed an order for a late dinner with Draco's elf, Tink. Seff then began washing Draco's hair and rubbing his shoulders down. Draco sighed, it felt great, he had been so tense the last few days and he missed his mate and the physical comfort offered by her.

Tink popped in with dinner and Seff helped Draco out of the tub. As Draco dressed, Seff vanished the water and the tub and began to set the small table with the food Tink had provided. They ate in quiet, each lost in their own thoughts. Draco had pushed Dolohov out of his mind, he was currently obsessing over what he was going to have to do with his father.

His father was going to be a problem. He couldn't allow Lucius to kill his mother. As a child Draco had always wanted a sibling, but Draco was selfish enough at this point to not want to give up his inheritance. His father would have to go. Draco felt cold at the thought. He was a murderer, but that didn't mean he wanted to commit patricide.

On some level, he still loved his father. He had been there for him throughout his childhood, healing scrapes, teaching him to fly, playing pickup Quidditch games with him and his friends. This was the man who taught him to read, and who had taught him everything about politics and being a Slytherin. How to be a man, how to be a Malfoy, what it meant to be a Malfoy man. Those were things he had learned at his father's knee and Draco was sad that the man he had grown up with was gone.

The look in his father's eyes tonight was deranged, maybe even unhinged. He looked the way Aunt Bella looked, and that scared Draco. He couldn't go back to school now, leaving his mother in this house with not only the horde of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, but his father as well. He would have to do something about his father before he went back to school.

Draco stood from the table and nodded his thanks at Seff. He went to bed, thinking he would toss and turn, but slept peacefully through morning.

* * *

"Draco, Draco, wake up," someone was shaking his shoulder. It was gentle and Draco moved away to burrow deeper under the covers. Draco fell back asleep.

"Beta, you have to get up!" The covers ripped off of Draco and he sat up in bed looking around, searching for his wand under his pillows.

Seff stood at the end of Draco's bed with the bed clothes in his hand.

"Lunch is almost served, the ceremony will be starting in an hour. Time to get up, Beta," Seff told him dropping the sheets on the end of the bed.

Draco groaned. He had been having such a delicious dream of his mate, but he rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. He dressed in loose robes, no suit underneath. Even the human part of the Beta ceremony took place in the nude, even though the Dark Lord and some of the inner circle would be down to observe

Lunch was served in the center of the dueling court, and the pack was rowdy today. Ceremonies were celebrations to the pack, and they all seemed to have faith that Draco would pass the test. Each wolf made a point to say a few words to Draco during lunch. The wolves he knew the best sat near him, Rand and Mingan at his left, Seff at his right, serving Draco portions and keeping his glass filled with pumpkin juice. Fenrir sat across from him, grinning.

"Don't look so happy about the prospect of beating me to a pulp," Draco groused at Fenrir good-naturedly.

"Can't help it, pup. I'm ready for a Beta," Fenrir told him, his grin softening to a smile.

"And once I'm Beta, will you stop calling me pup? It's emasculating," Draco sniffed at Fenrir, affecting the pureblood mask he had so often worn before he became a werewolf.

He had a harder time controlling his emotions since being bit. He worked hard on keeping his mask in place in public, and he thought he did a decent job of it. But he had stopped trying with his pack. The pack was family. He put it on now to rile Seff.

Seff grasped Draco's arm above the elbow and squeezed, "Draco…" he whispered under his breath looking at Fenrir. Fenrir didn't hold the joke, he laughed.

"I think we'll be calling you pup for a long while yet. Pup," Fenrir winked at Draco and Seff.

Draco laughed, while Seff seemed to realize the joke was on him and rolled his eyes, turning back to his meal.

Once the meal was over, the tables were cleared and Fenrir raised his wand to his Dark Mark, calling the Dark Lord down to witness the ceremony. Usually any kind of werewolf ceremonies would not be witnessed by anybody but pack, but this was requested by the Dark Lord himself.

Draco stood to the side, trying to loosen up his muscles and not be a nervous wreck. He would start with the toughest wolf, move down through the pack until he reached the Omega, Seff, and then finally he would fight Fenrir as the Alpha. He would lose to Fenrir - that was required to become Beta. But the rest of the pack wouldn't go easy on him. His position wouldn't be solidified if everyone in the pack only pretended, it had to be real and Draco had to win. He would win, he was determined to win. He could taste the power that being Beta would offer him.

The doors to the dueling court blew open and the Dark Lord walked through. Aunt Bella, his father, Uncle Rodolphus and his brother Rabastan, as well as Snape all followed behind him. Fenrir stood in front of the Dark Lord and knelt to kiss his robes. The rest of the pack dropped to their knees, bowing their heads.

"My Lord, thank you for coming to witness this important event for our pack," Fenrir said still on his knees, his head bowed.

"Rissse, Fenrir," the Dark Lord hissed. He flicked his fingers and the doors to the dueling court slammed shut and locked. Another flick conjured the throne that was currently occupying Malfoy Manor's drawing room. The Dark Lord took a seat and gestured to his followers to do the same. Five distinct different chairs were conjured by each of the followers present. They sat arranged around the Dark Lord, half a meter or so behind him, Snape, Rabastan, and his father on the Dark Lord's right, Aunt Bella and Uncle Rodolphus on the Dark Lord's left. Aunt Bella had pulled her chair as close to the Dark Lord as she could get and was casting doting gazes his way.

The pack still knelt, Draco was near the back and was looking through his blond fringe at the gathered Death Eaters. Fenrir had coached the pack on what was expected: they served the Dark Lord whether they were marked or not.

"Draco, rissse," the Dark Lord called to him. Draco stood and wound his way amongst his pack to greet the Dark Lord.

"My Lord," Draco knelt to kiss the Dark Lord's robes and rose to meet the Dark Lord's eyes. As a wolf he was protected from Legilimency, the virus that caused werewolves changed the human brain enough that Legilimency didn't work on it. Draco had no fear of meeting the Dark Lord's gaze. That didn't mean it was a pleasant gaze to meet. The Dark Lord was tall, but Draco had a few centimeters on him. The Dark Lord was also very skinny, almost malnourished looking. His skin was a grey, waxy color. The eyes were the worst though, red and slitted like a snake's, inhuman.

"Do well today, Draco, and I will reward you tomorrow," the Dark Lord told him.

Draco nodded, "Of course, my Lord."

"Begin," the Dark Lord commanded.

Draco stripped out of his robe, letting it flutter to the floor behind him and turned to face his pack. The rest of the pack stood, stripping from their robes as well until the dueling court was filled with naked men, and six clothed, seated Death Eaters. Every pack member stepped back out of the circle, except Rand. Draco had expected that. Rand could be Beta if he wanted it.

Rand grinned at him, and then quicker than Draco could track, he was on his back, his head thudding to the mat beneath him. Rand quickly stood, waiting for Draco to make his move. Draco growled and swung his arms above his head and then down to launch himself into a standing position. He glared at Rand.

"I won't play nice, Rand," Draco said as he swiped at Rand with his left fist. Rand turned just in time that the blow glanced off the back of his shoulder. Rand smirked and Draco decided he'd had enough, he dove at Rand, catching him around the waist. Rand's cock and balls flopped near Draco's armpit. Once he had Rand on the ground, he flipped Rand to his back, placing his knee on the small of Rand's back and twisted Rand's arm behind his back, forcing his hand up past Rand's shoulder, almost breaking it.

"Yield! I yield, pup," Rand grunted out. Draco smirked and hopped off Rand, offering his hand to the other wolf. Rand took it and gave him a congratulatory pat on the back.

Draco didn't have a chance to compose himself before Udolf came at him. Udolf put too much of his weight into the attack, and Draco ducked the first blow and retaliated before the older wolf could recover. Draco lashed out a kick at Udolf's midriff, catching him off guard and sending him to the ground. He went down hard and Draco followed, straddling him around the waist, careful to keep his own genitals away from Udolf's. He put his hands around Udolf's neck. Udolf yielded.

And so it went. Each wolf gave it his best shot against him, a few even landed blows, but as the wolves got weaker, Draco was beating them quicker and quicker.

When Seff finally took his place he grinned at Draco, waiting for him to make his first move. Draco was panting hard and slick with sweat, he moved to punch Seff, but Seff ducked and grabbed Draco around the waist taking him to the ground, despite Draco's superior size. After fighting with sixteen other wolves, Draco was exhausted. He managed to get Seff on his back and Seff instantly yielded. Every other wolf had made Draco take it to a winning move or position, but Seff as the Omega knew he wouldn't be able to beat Draco.

Draco stood, weary now, and offered Seff a hand up. He was breathing hard. He hadn't paid much attention to his audience, but as soon as Seff stood, the pack cheered.

"Excellent job, Draco," the Dark Lord hissed. Draco turned his attention from his pack and to the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. His father was sneering at him. His Aunt Bella was checking him out, her eyes running greedily up and down his body. Draco felt nauseous at the look on her face and turned his attention back to the Dark Lord.

"Thank you, my Lord," he nodded to the Dark Lord.

Fenrir stepped up and clapped Draco on the back.

"My turn, pup," Fenrir said in Draco's ear. Draco nodded and moved to turn around but before he could, he felt a hand in the middle of his back and he went sprawling on the ground. Draco wanted to give Fenrir a run for his money. Fenrir had become his mentor, but that didn't mean he didn't want to put on a good show. It wouldn't do to look weak now.

Draco flipped to his back and swept a leg around, catching Fenrir behind the knee. Fenrir went off balance and went down to his knee. Draco sprung up and kicked Fenrir's head. Fenrir saw the blow coming and ducked, Draco's foot glanced Fenrir's cheek. Fenrir grinned and grabbed Draco's foot before he could pull it back and Draco landed on his back. Again.

"Let's go, pup," Fenrir said, holding his hand out for Draco to take. Draco took it and heaved, pulling Fenrir on top of him. Draco rolled to the side before Fenrir could land and Fenrir was lying on the mat next to him, face up. He had pulled Fenrir down so hard, it knocked the breath out of Fenrir, and he lie there gasping.

Draco pounced, he straddled Fenrir's chest and placed his hands at his Alpha's throat. In a hazy moment of surprise, he thought that Fenrir might concede and then he would become Alpha. He was almost there. Adrenaline surged through him and he could almost taste the victory. But his cockiness worked against him. Fenrir was still stronger than Draco. Using the grip he had on Draco's wrists, Fenrir wrenched Draco's hands from his neck, breaking Draco's wrists, Draco screamed at the pain. Fenrir rolling so he was lying on top of Draco, their legs tangled together. He pulled a fist back and slammed it into Draco's face. Draco's vision went fuzzy and he panted, "Yield, Alpha. I yield." Before he blacked out.

Draco awoke with a start and a groan to see Fenrir holding a hand out to him to take. Draco grasped it and stumbled on his way to standing. Fenrir pulled Draco to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. He tucked Draco into his side, using his own body to hold his new Beta up.

"Congratulations, Beta," Fenrir whispered to him as he turned them to face the Dark Lord.

Draco's head was pounding and it took everything in him to pay attention to what the Dark Lord was saying. He completely ignored his family and godfather, he was so focused on the Dark Lord.

"Draco, well done. Congratulationsss on becoming Fenrir'sss Beta. Asss a reward, you will be gifted with my Mark tomorrow night at the Halloween revel," the Dark Lord hissed as he stood from his throne.

"Th-thank you, my lord," Draco muttered, still trying to catch his breath, he went to kneel, but Fenrir kept him upright.

"We'll never get you back upright if you kneel now, pup," Fenrir told him quietly.

"My lord, are you sure it's wise-" Lucius started, but stopped when the Dark Lord glared at him.

"You are here becaussse you are Draco'sss father Luciusss, not becaussse you are in the inner circle. Mind your place." The Dark Lord's voice was icy and brittle.

Draco finally looked at his father and saw his eyes widen imperceptibly before he nodded. When he caught Draco looking at him, Lucius glared so fiercely that had Draco not been so completely drained, he would have been terrified. At the moment, Draco couldn't find it in himself to care much about his Father.

Aunt Bella had sidled alongside of him as he had been contemplating his father, unnoticed by Draco. He noticed her when she placed a cold, clammy hand on his abdomen.

"Nephew," she breathed, "Who would have thought you would have turned into such a fine, strong specimen." She batted her eyelids as she looked up at him. Draco recoiled further into Fenrir's side as Aunt Bella's hand drifted toward his cock.

"Aunt Bella!" Draco shouted, turning so she couldn't reach him. Uncle Rodolphus saved him.

"Come, Bella. Leave the incest to others, you are a Lestrange, no longer a Black," Uncle Rodolphus spat as he gripped Aunt Bella's wrist and pulled her away from Draco's side. They were the last of the Death Eater's to leave.

When the dueling court was empty of Death Eaters, the pack seemed to let out a collective sigh of relief. Fenrir flicked his wand and the pack was dressed in their robes. Another flick of the wand and Draco was sitting in a chair Fenrir had conjured. Someone had healed his wrists before they had _Renervated_ him, but they still ached.

Fenrir called for food and drink, and the pack settled in around their new Beta. They had begun the ceremony after lunch and it was now after dinner. Draco was hungry and tired, but feeling satisfied about completing the first ceremony.

Once every wolf had a glass of firewhisky in hand, Fenrir raised his own in a toast.

"To our Beta!"

Shouts of "Beta" were heard around the dueling court as each pack member repeated the toast and drank deeply. Draco had never felt more accepted than he did in that moment, surrounded by his pack, who were toasting to him.

* * *

 **A/N: Over 300 followers and 200 reviews! OMG! You guys are amazing! Let me know your thoughts!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: All of the beta love goes to brownlark42 and twztdwildcat! This is another of those chapters that has some super graphic violence, you have been warned.**

* * *

Fenrir could not be prouder. Finally, after a year and a half he had a Beta. He could feel him in the collective. He could feel his Beta's energies radiate through the pack. It was brilliant. The pack felt more cohesive and at home than it had since before Raul died. Fenrir could feel the tension ease in his chest and shoulders. They still had the wolf ceremony to get through, but the human ritual was enough to solidify his pup as Beta.

His pack celebrated late into the night with round after round of firewhisky. Fenrir laughed as Seff helped Draco back to his tent. They had plied his pup with so much drink that he could barely walk. Fenrir and Arnou were sitting watching the party disband as everyone stumbled back to their tents. As Seff was on his way out of Draco's tent and back to his own, Fenrir called him over.

"Alpha," Seff said with a nod and a smile.

Fenrir kicked a chair out from underneath the table he was sitting at and waved Seff over to take a seat.

"I want you to move your tent next to Draco's, Seff. I know you are the Omega to the pack, but he's going to need you," Fenrir told him.

"Of course, Alpha. We get along well. I would be happy and proud to serve our Beta and in turn, you," Seff said deferentially. Fenrir nodded his dismissal and Seff stood to move his things.

"Pup did good today," Arnou commented. Fenrir nodded again.

"He'll make a fine Beta for you," Arnou said, clearly trying to lure Fenrir into conversation.

"What's bothering you, sire?" Fenrir asked, turning his gaze toward the old man.

"Lucius is gonna be a problem," Arnou didn't beat around the bush.

Fenrir gave a heavy sigh, "I know. But I don't know what to do about it."

"Dark Lord dunnit seem too pleased wit' him..." Arnou prompted.

"You think I should manipulate the Dark Lord into getting rid of the pup's father?" Fenrir mused. He thought it could work. The Dark Lord had been granting him favors, so he clearly needed something from Fenrir.

"I think it's worth a shot," Arnou told him as he heaved himself out of the chair, his joints cracking and popping loud enough that Fenrir could hear it. Arnou shuffled off to his own tent while Fenrir sat in the middle of the empty dueling court and brooded over what his sire had suggested.

As he listened to the snores of his pack, Fenrir felt more at peace than he had in a long time, maybe since Uma had died. It was an unexpected coincidence that his Beta, a pup who hadn't even had a year of changes, had a mate. At least she was a useful mate. According to everything Fenrir had dug up on the witch, she was smart - really smart. And being best friends with Harry Potter wasn't a bad thing in his opinion. Sure, it was a bit tricky, but the Dark Lord had seen reason. He knew t would be an asset to have someone in Potter's inner circle feeding them information, although Fenrir wasn't convinced she would feed them information. He had only met her the once, and his pup had been surprisingly silent about his mate. Draco had written to Fenrir about his mate, over the past month. Expounding on all of the thoughts and feelings she inspired in him, but he hadn't mentioned much about who she was as a person, or anything about her personality or friendships. She was still very much an unknown to Fenrir. And unknowns could be dangerous.

Fenrir decided he would need to have Draco bring her around to meet the pack, maybe at Christmas. The pack would need to recognize their Beta's mate, especially because she was the only mate in the pack. It would be good for the pack and the collective to have her around. Fenrir swallowed the last of his firewhisky and headed off for his own bed. Tomorrow was Halloween, which meant a Death Eater revel. His Beta would be Marked, and while Fenrir had always enjoyed a good revel, he suspected his pup would not.

* * *

Halloween dawned bright and clear, but for all of it's glory, Fenrir missed it. He didn't leave his bed until he felt a burn in his forearm. He woke and cast a _Tempus_ charm to discover it was lunchtime. He muttered the _Congregabo_ charm, and his Death Eater robes and mask came flying out of his wardrobe and into his hands. He trod out of his tent, pulling on the robes and he left the dueling court without seeing a single member of his pack. Judging by how he felt at the moment, he assumed they were all still in bed.

"Tink!" he shouted as he headed up the stairs toward the drawing room.

His pup's elf popped into existence as he was crossing the marble foyer.

"Yes, master Alpha, what's can I gets for you?" Tink asked, hurrying to keep up with his long stride.

"Sober-Up potions for the whole pack, on their nightstands," Fenrir grunted and flicked his fingers in dismissal. He pocketed his mask as he reached the doors of the drawing room. The Dark Mark was an ingenious invention, and Fenrir had always assumed it was based on a werewolf pack's collective. It worked like a collective. Through the Mark, Fenrir could feel when he was near the Dark Lord, and he knew instinctively that the Dark Lord was within the drawing room. Just like the Dark Mark, the collective meant that Fenrir knew where each of his pack members were.

He walked into the drawing room and was once again relieved to be the only Death Eater present. It was so much easier to manipulate the Dark Lord when others weren't around to question and muck up his proposals and suggestions.

"My Lord," Fenrir said and knelt in front of the Dark Lord's throne. He lifted the hem of the Dark Lord's cloak, laid a gentle kiss upon it, then dropped his head down. He knelt there, bowed until the Dark Lord spoke several minutes later. _What is taking so long? There wasn't anyone else in the room when I arrived._ The Dark Lord wasn't even speaking to Nagini; he was totally silent.

A cold hand patted Fenrir on the head, and threaded through his dreads before the Dark Lord spoke, "Rissse, Fenrir."

Fenrir waited for the hand to remove itself from his head and rose to stand before the Dark Lord.

"Tell me, Fenrir, how doesss it feel to finally have a Beta?"

"Excellent, my Lord. Draco is a superb addition to the pack. As Beta, he will elevate the pack. He is the final piece that we need for your Were Army," Fenrir told the Dark Lord, holding his gaze and letting his pride show.

"Very good," the Dark Lord replied, steepling his hands in front of him. "I want Draco to begin working on bringing other packsss under my reign. He might ssstill be in ssschool, but I believe we can work on him going on missionsss."

"Of course, my Lord. That is a brilliant idea. With the Malfoy fortune, Draco will be perfectly poised to cajole or bribe the other packs to join you," Fenrir nodded, thinking about how well this was going to turn out for him.

"That wasss my plan, Fenrir," the Dark Lord reminded him. Fenrir nodded again in agreement.

"I do see an problem with Lucius, my Lord," Fenrir began.

The Dark Lord raised his brow in inquiry - or rather, he raised what would have been his brow if he had any - and twirled his fingers for Fenrir to go on.

"He came down to the dueling court and instigated an altercation with Draco because he is a werewolf. I do not want Draco to become confused about where his loyalties lie. They lie with you first, my Lord, then with his pack, then his family. Draco knows and understands this now, but I'm afraid that Lucius may influence him away from this. He may try to convince Draco to have his first loyalty to the Malfoy name."

The Dark Lord nodded and fell quiet for a moment.

"I have been very dissspleasssed with Luciusss. I agree that it isss time for him to go. Thank you, Fenrir, for bringing thisss to my attention."

The Dark Lord waved his hand in a clear dismissal and Fenrir exited the drawing room, pleased with himself.

* * *

When Fenrir arrived back in the dueling court, lunch had been served and a handful of wolves were up and eating. Fenrir was happy to see that those who were up were clearly no longer hungover. It appeared that Tink had followed his command. He took this to mean that his pup placed the pack first - typically a wizard would not share command of a house elf with anyone else. Despite what he told the Dark Lord, Fenrir wanted his pack's loyalty to him and the pack first, the Dark Lord second. He was clear in this expectation during his conversation with Draco several days ago. Fenrir hadn't planned the break with Lucius, but he was willing to take full advantage when fate handed him something so fortuitous.

All Lucius had to do to secure his son was to accept him. Draco was a teenager, and teenagers craved acceptance. Instead, Lucius did the opposite: he pushed him away, straight into Fenrir's arms. It was a brilliant move. Once Lucius was out of the picture, Fenrir would control the richest wizarding family in Britain.

Fenrir whiled the afternoon away with his pack. The revel wouldn't start until sundown, so he spent the time bonding with pack members and his Beta. It was helpful to the collective for the pack to be together. It was a bond, something like the mate bond. The more the pack was together, around each other, touching each other, the stronger the collective became. If a pack or pack member was separated for long periods of time, they could cease to be a pack. The collective would only stretch so far before it shattered.

As the sun began to sink, Fenrir put on his cloak and mask and directed his Beta to get ready for the revel. As soon as he felt the burn of the Mark, Fenrir grasped Draco's arm and apparated them away to where the revel was taking place on the north side of the Manor. Fenrir had advised the Dark Lord that the farther the revel was from the south wood, the better for the Beta ceremony the following evening.

Fenrir told Draco to stay out of the inner circle, while he took his place. As the Dark Lord called the meeting to order, he summoned Fenrir, pushing aside Lucius who had been standing on his left.

"Thisss isss your place among my followersss, Fenrir," the Dark Lord stated. Fenrir smirked behind his mask. Things were working out better than he had planned. He was rising quickly within the Dark Lord's ranks.

"Death Eatersss! We have a Marking tonight! Luciusss hasss failed missserably, but hisss ssson isss ready and willing to ressstore the Malfoy name to itsss full glory!" The Dark Lord beckoned Draco forward. Fenrir watched as Draco stepped into the inner circle, his head held high. Fenrir could feel Draco's terror through the collective, but nobody would know by looking at him. His blond hair was swept back - it was long enough to brush his shoulders now - and his grey eyes were shuttered, giving nothing away. Fenrir was delighted in how well Draco was doing despite his fear.

Draco knelt before the Dark Lord, kissing the hem of his robes, keeping his head bowed. The Dark Lord bent down and lifted Draco's chin to meet his eye.

"You will become one of a very ssselect few, Draco. Are you ready?" The Dark Lord asked, a cruel smile on his face.

"Of course, my Lord. I must return honor to the Malfoy name," Draco stated, his voice not wavering at all.

"Good," the Dark Lord gestured for Draco to lift his left arm.

Draco gave the Dark Lord his arm, and the Dark Lord grasped Draco's wrist pushing his black robe above his elbow. The Dark Lord pulled his wand out and began tracing the Dark Mark on Draco's skin muttering, "Të djegur lëkurën, të bëjë të shënojë, lidh me mua." Repeatedly under his breath.

Fenrir could smell his Beta's flesh as the Dark Mark was burned into it. Every other Dark Mark twinged at the creation of its newest brother. His Beta was silent the entire time - a very impressive feat. Every Death Eater Fenrir had ever seen marked had at least grunted, if not outright screamed. Fenrir himself had whined a bit when he had taken the Dark Mark during the First Wizarding War.

The Dark Lord finished after several minutes. He dropped Draco's hand and Draco continued kneeling, his head bowed as he panted. Fenrir could see the sweat dripping from the boy's brow.

"Rissse, Draco. You shall be rewarded for that impresssive performance. I think we'll have you sssit at the left hand of your Alpha," the Dark Lord said, extending a hand to Draco to help him out of the dirt. Fenrir had never seen the Dark Lord help anyone do anything before, especially not help a new follower stand. Draco thanked the Dark Lord for the privilege of serving him and moved to stand next to Fenrir, demoting Lucius down another spot. Draco ignored Lucius, and greeted Fenrir with a very tiny quirk of his lips.

"Let the revel begin!" The Dark Lord bellowed as Crabbe and Goyle brought forth the muggles. There were more this time, almost twenty-five or thirty by Fenrir's count. He clapped his Beta on the shoulder and moved them both forward.

"This is the best part, pup," Fenrir said quietly as the rest of the Death Eaters either jumped forward to select a captive, or held back to engage in conversations. Fenrir led Draco forward to select a captive, Conversations were pointless when you could murder and torture instead.

"You want to choose, pup?" Fenrir turned to Draco, and saw that he looked paler than normal. "Guess not. I'll take care of it."

Fenrir scanned the hostages, looking for a female. He settled on a buxom blonde who was fiercely kicking and spitting at anyone who came near her.

"Ah, she's got some fight in her, pup. Those are the best kind," Fenrir grabbed the blonde by her hair, surprising her, and dragged her behind him for several meters until they were away from most of the crowd. The woman screamed and fought the entire way, and Fenrir could feel himself get hard. He was pretty sure his pup was going to be too soft to get in the action, but this was what being a Death Eater was all about. He hadn't wanted to show Draco this side of him before, but it was time now, and he would get Draco to participate one way or another.

Fenrir flicked his wand and unbound the woman. She immediately stood and attempted to run, but before Fenrir could stop her, Draco sent a trip jinx her way. Fenrir was impressed - he had assumed his pup would just sit back and look queasy until Fenrir made him participate.

"Well done, pup," Fenrir grinned at Draco as he grabbed the woman by the hair again. He pulled the back of her button down top and it ripped off, revealing her full breasts to his pup.

"Want to get a feel in?" Fenrir asked as he struggled to hold the woman still. She was clawing at the hand that held her, and Fenrir leered at Draco. Draco's face blanched even more and shook his head quickly, darting his eyes around.

"Don't worry, pup, nobody else is interested in what's going on here. They've all got their own playthings," Fenrir smirked as he shook the blonde. Her screeches got even louder, and he decided to shut her up with a punch across the face. It dazed the woman, and she stopped screeching. Fenrir's punch had knocked her to the ground. She knelt and was about to stand, but Fenrir stopped her with a hand to her shoulder.

"You're prettier down there, sweetling," he told her as he unbuckled his trousers. He pulled his cock out and smacked her in the face with it.

"Open up," he commanded in a sing-song voice. The woman clenched her jaw and shook her head violently. Fenrir laughed cruelly.

"Pup, how about you get her to open her mouth? A spot of cruciatus should do it," Fenrir told Draco in a tone that brooked no argument. Fenrir didn't even look back at his Beta to enforce the order. He trusted the power of the Beta-Alpha bond - if he implied the right command, his Beta would not be able to deny his order. Very quietly he heard Draco whisper, "Crucio."

The woman flopped on the ground, still not screeching, but she shook and quaked with such violence that she must have bitten her tongue. Blood began to pour forth from her mouth.

"Enough, we don't want her dead," Fenrir commented. The woman stopped moving and lied on the ground, panting.

Fenrir lifted her by the hair again so that she was kneeling. This time when he slapped her in the face with his cock, she opened up and began sucking. Fenrir fucked her mouth harshly, even as the blood flowed out and covered his dick. The sight of the blood made him even harder and he snapped his hips forward viciously, shoving his cock down her throat and making her choke.

He pulled out after several minutes, "As lovely as that was, my dear, I have something else in mind for the grand finale."

Fenrir looked over his shoulder to find his Beta looking at the ground, and now he looked green instead of pale. Fenrir had to admit that torture could be an acquired taste. He turned back to the blonde and ordered her on all fours, vanishing her muggle jeans and knickers. He shoved himself into her puckered hole, using the blood that covered his cock as meager lubricant. She screamed and clenched down on him, trying to fight him off. It felt amazing.

He began with a small, light slicing hex to her left buttock, reveling in the feel of the warm blood as it trickled down against his hip. He made a larger slice in her right buttock and grabbed the cheek, grinding the edges of the wound together, causing her to shout and buck at him. He continued on in this manner, wandlessly casting small slicing jinxes intermixed with a few burning and stinging hexes. She bucked and fought with each hex, clenching her muscles tighter and tighter around him.

"Pup," he panted, "give her a little _cruciatus_." Again, his tone was commanding, an Alpha giving a command to his Beta. His Beta couldn't ignore it.

Draco whispered, "Crucio," again and the woman shook and cramped so violently that it surprised Fenrir into an orgasm and he came with a roar. His Beta held the curse and her spasms caused Fenrir's cock to harden again, his juices combined with her blood made her back passage slicker this time around. He pumped away, forgetting all about the hexes and jinxes he had been casting, too busy chasing down a second orgasm. It was even rougher this time, and when he arrived, he held the captive to his hips for a moment and then dropped her. She fell heavily to the ground and didn't move again.

As Fenrir tucked himself away, he asked Draco to check to see whether the woman was still alive. At his Beta's nod, he casually cast an _Avada Kedavra_ at her and ushered his captive back to the Dark Lord and the inner circle. Fenrir felt amazing, but judging by the look on his Beta's face, he didn't feel quite as good.

"Work on your mask, Beta," Fenrir commanded. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched as Draco stood straighter, held his head higher and a blank, bored look overcame his features. Fenrir nodded in approval.

They were one of the last groups to arrive back at the inner circle and dutifully take their spots. Draco ignored Lucius as he stood next to him and Fenrir could feel pride welling up in him. If he could continue the chasm between father and son, his plans would be solidified.

"Fellow Death Eatersss, I hope you enjoyed yourssselvesss thisss evening. We have one lassst event. Unfortunately, one of your brothersss hasss failed me, and continuesss to fail me. He will be eliminated thisss evening. Luciusss?" The Dark Lord beckoned Lucius forward.

Lucius fell to his knees in front of the Dark Lord, "My Lord, please! I can do better, I will do…"

"Quiet!" the Dark Lord bellowed. Lucius stopped speaking, but his shoulders moved up and down, and probably only Fenrir and Draco could hear his silent sobs. Fenrir looked at his Beta. He didn't look any paler, but he swayed on his feet a bit. Fenrir reached out a hand and steadied him by grasping his shoulder.

"You have failed me, and you didn't even want your ssson to join my ranksss. Now that I have Draco, what do I need you for, Luciusss?" the Dark Lord asked a question, but every Death Eater in the circle knew he was not expecting an answer.

Lucius just shook his head. He looked up at the Dark Lord and Fenrir could see tear tracks on his face. Fenrir frowned. He hoped that if he was ever faced with the Dark Lord like this, he would have the balls to not sob like a baby.

"Fenrir," the Dark Lord called out, "would you do the honor?" Fenrir looked at his Beta, Draco's eyes were large, and he looked dazed. He didn't want to make this harder on him than it needed to be.

"My Lord," Snape spoke up, stepping forward from his place in the circle.

"Ssseverusss?" the Dark Lord sounded annoyed.

"Perhaps the Dark Lord might excuse young Draco from…" the Dark Lord cut him off with a silently cast _Crucio_. Snape fell to the ground twitching.

"Does anybody elssse have anything to sssay?" the Dark Lord asked, the menace clear in his tone. When nobody moved, he beckoned Fenrir forward.

"Draco…" Lucius gasped looking at his son, reaching a hand forward to him.

"Sssilence!" the Dark Lord thundered as he beckoned Fenrir forward.

Fenrir made it quick for the sake of his young Beta. He cast an _Avada Kedavra_ at Lucius, who crumpled to the ground on his back. He was staring straight up, clearly dead. Behind him he heard a commotion, and Draco was turned away, vomiting, while Snape consoled him.

The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes at his newest follower and dismissed the rest of his Death Eaters.

"My Lord," Fenrir began, "please forgive my Beta, he is young yet, not even of age."

The Dark Lord nodded, "Of courssse, Fenrir. He shall be given a passs tonight." The Dark Lord took one last look at the heaving werewolf and whirled toward the house.

"Snape," Fenrir greeted the other man. His Beta was kneeling on the ground, still dry heaving.

"Beta," Fenrir began, he put a hand on Draco's shoulder.

"Don't! Don't you fucking touch me!" Draco screamed at Fenrir as he shrugged off his touch. Fenrir could hear tears in his hoarse voice. He removed his hand and took a step back, sharing a silent communication with Snape. He turned and left the dueling court, trusting Snape to take care of his Beta tonight.

* * *

Fenrir slept late the following day; he needed to save his energy for the full moon tonight and for the conclusion of the Beta ceremony. He didn't see his Beta when he exited his tent and strolled to the center of the dueling court for lunch. He did see Seff though.

"Omega!" Fenrir called out to him.

Seff trotted to Fenrir and walked with him the rest of the way to the tables, which were laden with food.

"Where's the Beta?" Fenrir asked, keeping his voice casual. The more he had thought about the previous night, the more worried he was about what had transpired. Draco had clearly been upset during the torture of the muggle, and watching his Alpha kill his father could not have helped his state of mind.

Fenrir realized he had been outmaneuvered by the Dark Lord. He wanted Lucius gone, but the Dark Lord had made him the bad guy - and now Fenrir had broken Draco's trust. He would do everything he could to repair his relationship with Draco. Fenrir couldn't afford to have a Beta that hated him. He and the pack needed a strong Beta.

"He hasn't shown up since you left last night," Seff replied.

 _Fuck._ That wasn't good, he would now have to hunt him down in his childhood home. He was sure if Draco didn't want to be found, Fenrir wouldn't be able to find him.

He wandered the halls of the Manor after he had eaten his fill at lunch. Fenrir had already checked Draco's room and the family wing. He had even ducked into Narcissa's solar, but nobody was in there. He had knocked on what he knew to be Narcissa and Lucius' bedroom suite, but nobody had answered. When he went to open the door, he was knocked back by the strength of the wards. He could only assume that's where his Beta was, but he continued wandering the halls in hopes that he would see him before the change tonight.

Fenrir had hoped in vain. Just before the pack was due to leave for the south wood, Fenrir finally made his way back to the dueling court, stripping as he went. When he arrived, he found Draco in the crowd. He was shaky and pale, and he looked as though he had spent the majority of the day crying. This was not going to be an easy transition for him. Fenrir decided their talk would have to wait, and he waved the pack forward to the south wood.

Once there, he gave a nod to Snape and Bella, who were waiting for them to start the ward casting. He walked through his pack as they all staked out a place to make the transition, but Draco was avoiding making eye contact with him. Fenrir never could have imagined how sad he would feel to see his Beta treating him like this. As the moon rose, he vowed to himself that he would make it right. He would do everything he could to make it right between them.

Once the entire pack was changed, Draco had taken the longest and he still lay on the ground panting while Fenrir trotted around to greet them all. It had been several months since he had a full pack for a transition. The collective hummed with all of the energy and happiness of the pack being together. When Draco finally dragged himself up, Fenrir nodded at Rand, who tackled Draco.

During the human portion of the ceremony, Draco had fought well. He fought fair, never intending to actually hurt anyone, but things were different tonight. Fenrir could see that his blood was boiling. Draco had Rand pinned down with his jaws poised to rip out his throat before Seff nudged Draco's side to get him off Rand. Fenrir was glad Seff was there to help referee the fights. If Draco was that upset, it could get really ugly.

His Beta made his way through the pack, beating each member. Some fights were easier than others, and Seff and/or Rand had to pull Draco off of a few of the wolves before he went too far.

Finally, it was Fenrir's turn to fight Draco. When he turned toward him, Fenrir felt unexpectedly afraid. Draco had blood dripping from his muzzle and his eyes were crazed. He growled and raised his hackles at Fenrir just before he pounced.

Fenrir rolled, trying to get out of Draco's way, but Draco seemed to have anticipated the move, because he rolled with him and bit Fenrir's shoulder. Fenrir let out a yelp at the sudden pain and bucked his back legs, making Draco fall off of him. Fenrir didn't give Draco a chance to get up. He tackled him and went for Draco's throat, trying to end the fight quickly.

Draco was able to shimmy away and bit Fenrir's ankle before rolling and standing again. He tackled Fenrir's back, surprising the older wolf, who went down to his stomach with the added weight. Draco bit Fenrir's ear and Fenrir growled at him, bucking himself again to dislodge the other wolf. Fenrir thought the pup had to be exhausted at this point, but he came at him yet again, barreling into the Alpha's side with his head and knocking him over. Fenrir swiped at Draco and hit him in the head with his paw, drawing blood.

Fenrir was finally able to get on top of Draco and pin him down, his teeth at Draco's neck. He didn't let Draco up until he stopped struggling. The pack howled in celebration. Their Beta was confirmed. Fenrir laid down in the middle of the pack, enjoying the festivities, but he couldn't ignore how his Beta had separated himself from the rest of the pack. His pup curled up at a distance and avoided the celebration in his honor.

Just before dawn and the change, Fenrir found Arnou in the middle of the pack. He was planning to honor his sire's wishes. He greeted the other wolf with a sniff, before biting his shoulder and pouring his thoughts toward making Arnou a member of his pack. He felt the magic swirl around them as Arnou joined the collective. The collective as a whole sighed with recognition of the addition, and Fenrir felt his pack welcome Arnou. Even his Beta acknowledged Arnou through the collective, although he didn't join the rest of the pack in welcoming him as a wolf.

Draco stayed at a distance from the pack, ignoring the wolves as the change came upon them all.

* * *

 **A/N: I love to hear your thoughts! Also, I or twztdwldcat makes a collage for every chapter, you can find it on various facebook groups, or my tumblr crochetawayhpff. And finally, thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who is following, reading, reviewing, all of the things. It's amazing to me that anyone is interested in this little fic, but I am so glad you are!** **Finally, all translations are courtesy of Google Translate.**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Eternal thanks to my betas twztdwildcat and brownlark42. Those lovely ladies really make this story. And huge enormous thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing, it really is lovely seeing an inbox full of reviews, so thank you!**

* * *

Draco was the last of the pack to make it back to Malfoy Manor after the full moon. He was avoiding Fenrir and the pack in general. Instead of heading to his tent in the dueling court, he _Accio'd_ his cloak and headed up to his parent's bedroom.

 _Just his mother's bedroom now._ He felt his eyes sting at the thought of his father.

He knew that he had irrevocably changed his relationship to his father and his family when he chose his pack over Lucius. But that didn't mean he wanted him dead. It made it even harder that it had been his Alpha who had done the deed. He had trusted Fenrir and he had needed him, especially after the break with Lucius. Now he didn't feel like he had anyone other than his mother. And he needed to protect his mother.

"Draco, is that you?" Narcissa called as he entered her suite of rooms.

"Yes, mother," Draco responded. He sat heavily on the settee in the sitting room, calling for Tink to bring him tea and breakfast.

Narcissa came out of the bedroom, fully dressed, even though it was just past dawn. She looked her usual impeccable self, but her red-rimmed eyes gave her away. She sat next to Draco and opened her arms to him, letting her son he collapse into her in tears. It felt as though the only thing he had done over the past two days was cry, and yet there were always more tears waiting.

"Oh, Draco," Narcissa murmured to him as she held and rocked him. Tink popped back in with breakfast and the smell of the food made Draco's stomach rumble. He was tired and upset, but he still had the appetite of a werewolf a few hours after a full moon. His body demanded fuel. Draco broke away from his mother and began to eat, but Narcissa didn't touch anything.

"Mother, have you eaten?" Draco asked around a mouthful of roll.

"I'm not hungry," she patted his hand absently as she stared into the fireplace. Draco cringed. He would need to have someone look in on her after he went back to Hogwarts today. He didn't know who he could ask. He was not going to reach out to Fenrir, and Snape would be at school with him. Aunt Bella was too insane and unstable. Maybe Uncle Rodolphus? Draco sighed heavily.

"I have something to do before we go back to Hogwarts, mother. I'll be back shortly, then we can go," Draco hugged Narcissa again and quietly slipped out of the suite. He returned to his childhood bedroom to change into school robes before hunting down his uncle.

He found Uncle Rodolphus in the smaller dining room on the first floor eating his breakfast. Nobody was with him, and he was in a chair facing away from the door.

"Uncle?" Draco asked as he closed the door behind him. He must have startled the wizard, because he whirled around and away from the table, crouching next to his chair with his wand trained on Draco. Draco held his hands up to show he wasn't armed. Slowly, Rodolphus stood and pocketed his wand, retaking his seat at the table.

Uncle Rodolphus was a large wizard who had been imprisoned in Azkaban until the past year. Draco hadn't had much time to talk to him, but he knew that he was relatively stable for having spent so much time in the prison. Given that his uncle was saner than either his brother or his wife and had, in fact, kept Aunt Bella in check, Draco was hopeful that he would be able to keep an eye on his mother.

"What do you want, Draco?" Uncle Rodolphus asked, returning to his breakfast. Draco swallowed at his tone. He hated having to do this.

"It's mother," Draco began. "She hasn't eaten since Halloween." Draco moved around the table so he could face his uncle. Uncle Rodolphus quirked an eyebrow at Draco, but continued his breakfast.

"I'm going back to Hogwarts today. I - I didn't know who else to ask to look after…" Draco sighed and ran a hand through his hair. This wasn't going well. He barely knew his uncle, so why would he look after his mother for him? And this man was married to his crazy, sick fucking aunt.

"I'll get her to eat, and I'll keep Bella and the rest away from her," Rodolphus said with an air of dismissal.

Draco nodded, "Thank you, I owe you one, if you ever…" Rodolphus cut him off with a flick of his hand.

"Family matters," Rodolphus said as he stood and strode out of the room.

 _That went better than I expected,_ Draco thought running his hand through his hair again, he was relieved that someone would be in the house to look after his mother. It was bad enough when Lucius was in Azkaban, but now that he was dead? And with Draco still being at school, his mother was in charge of the Malfoy fortunes - another worry for Draco. He left to go find his mother and get back to Hogwarts and his mate.

* * *

Draco convinced his mother that he could walk from the gates to the school on his own and shooed her home. It was a windy fall day, but the sun was shining and Draco enjoyed the feeling of it warming his skin as he made his way to the Entrance Hall. Once inside the castle he headed to the Come and Go Room, glad that he was returning on a Saturday and had no obligations to be anywhere. Pacing in front of the blank section of wall, he thought of Granger and the room she had initially conjured for them. When a door appeared he was surprised to find her already in the room, sitting on the couch with a heavy tome. It was the same couch, fireplace, and bookshelves that had been there before. Their own secret room.

"Granger," he whispered in disbelief. She whipped her head around to see him.

"Draco!" she cried, hopping off of the couch, the book thumping to the floor. She ran to him and jumped into his arms. He caught her holding her close, breathing deeply to inhale her scent. _Home._ She smelled like home. He buried his face into her shoulder and her curly, frizzy locks. They stood like that for several moments before Granger pulled away to study his face. She must have seen something she didn't like, because she coaxed him to the couch and sat down with him.

"Draco, what happened? You look terrible." Granger cupped his face and stared into his eyes. Draco couldn't help it - when he saw her looking at him like that, he started crying for the second time that day and buried himself back in her arms. She held him close, one of her arms around his back, the other around his neck massaging his head. She rubbed his back and whispered that it would be all right.

"I'm sorry, so sorry," Draco murmured over and over again into Granger's shoulder as his tears continued.

"Draco, what happened? I need you to talk to me. I want to help you, but I need to know what happened," Granger pleaded with him.

He pulled away and stared into her warm, cinnamon eyes., He was a Death Eater. Didn't that make him a different person now? She had fought against people just like him a few months ago. Would she still accept the mate bond if he told her? Would she accept him? He needed someone now more than ever, but he didn't know who he could trust. His mother seemed to be breaking down. Pansy and Blaise wouldn't understand it all, especially about him being a werewolf. Granger was the only one who knew most of his secrets.

" _Boy. She's your mate, tell her_ ," Reule whispered in the back of his mind. Draco nodded. Reule was right. He had to tell her.

Draco wasn't a Gryffindor, so when he rolled up his left sleeve, he turned his face away from Granger. He couldn't bear to look her in the eyes when she realized what he had become. He heard her gasp and felt her get off of the couch. He pulled his sleeve back down and dropped his gaze to his lap, closing his eyes as more tears leaked out.

"Draco, oh, Draco!" Granger cried out, and he could see her pacing out of the corner of his eye. He sneaked a glance up at her and saw that she had her hand over her mouth and her cheeks were damp.

"What happened? I thought Greyback wasn't going to make you take the Mark?" Granger asked from the fireplace. _Fuck. She won't even sit next to me she's so disgusted. What did I do?_

"I don't think he had a choice. I definitely didn't have a choice," Draco said quietly. "I - I killed Dolohov as my initiation." His voice got quieter until he was barely whispering.

"Dolohov's dead?" Granger asked, sounding horrified. Draco nodded, not looking at her, and he dropped his head into his hands, covering his face. This was awful. It was worse than killing Dolohov, worse than taking the Dark Mark, and almost as bad as watching his father be murdered in front of him. How was he going to survive when Granger decided she wanted nothing to do with him? She was his mate. He would always protect her no matter what she decided.

"And that's why you're so upset?" Granger moved and stood in front of him. She reached out to grasp his hands, pulling them away from his face, and meeting his eyes.

Draco shook his head., He didn't care about Dolohov, not really.

"Draco, are you going to make me play twenty questions with you?" Granger almost stamped her foot in her agitation. The thought of making Granger agitated raised Draco's spirits a bit, but he shook his head. He pulled her down to sit on his lap, and she acquiesced and folded herself to fit in his arms. He leaned back against the arm of the couch, pulling Granger with him, until she was settled between his legs with her back to his chest. He put arms around her, holding her to him, burying his face into her hair, surrounding himself in her intoxicating scent.

He told her the whole story, about how he killed Dolohov and was rewarded with a Dark Mark. How the human version of the Beta ceremony went, skipping the part about his creepy Aunt Bella. Then he told her about the revel, and how sick he thought Fenrir was, getting off on torture and rape. He could feel her slight shudders as she wept for the muggle, and Draco let his own tears fall into Granger's hair as he remembered her screams. He told her what he remembered from the wolf ceremony.

Finally, he told her about his father. How Fenrir had murdered him at the behest of the Dark Lord. Draco broke down again, holding Granger tight to him as he sobbed for his father. Granger somehow managed to turn in his arms and was straddling his lap, holding him once again. She rubbed his back and murmured to him. He could feel her own tears against his neck as she cried with him.

Draco and Granger stayed like that for what seemed like hours. His tears eventually subsided, but Granger continued to hold him to her. She seemed to know exactly what he needed. Comfort, someone to be in his corner. When she finally pulled back from him to look him in the eye, he could see how hard she been crying. He hoped her tears were from empathy and not pity. He didn't think he could handle being pitied by her.

"Draco," she said, her voice sad. Draco's breath hitched, full of sudden fear. This was it, she was going to tell him he was vile and disgusting and that she didn't want anything to do with him. He could feel his body tighten in response, he looked away from her. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear looking her in the eyes as she told him off. He had his hands on her hips, and moved them to cross them over his chest.

"Draco!" she said sharply, and he looked up at her.

"Go on Granger, just get it over with. Tell me what an awful fucking person I am and how you couldn't stand to be around me anymore," Draco spat at her bitterly.

"I'm not abandoning you… how could I ever do that?" her voice raising. "You have been manipulated by everyone in your life in the last year. Everyone." She paused, and continued emphatically, "You need someone, and I'll be that person." She had her hands on either side of his face and was boring her gaze into his. Draco felt his breath release and his entire body relaxed. He reached out to grasp her hips again.

"You will?" he asked. He couldn't believe what she was saying.

"Of course! You're mine, aren't you?" she smiled softly down at him.

Draco nodded in response and pulled her down for a searing kiss, wrapping his arms around her back to pull her close. She was his mate, he was her mate, and she wasn't going to leave him; he was more relieved than he could express in words.

When Granger pulled back from his kiss she said, "What we need to do now is figure out how to get you out of this mess."

She pushed his hair back and leaned her forehead against his. Her fingers played with his hair at the back of his neck.

"Do you think you could betray Volde-" she started to say, but stopped at Draco's hiss. Her eyes widened as she pulled back.

"Hurts when you say his name," Draco grunted, tightening his arms around her. She nodded in understanding.

"Do you think you could betray You-Know-Who?" she asked, leaning her forehead against his again, looking into his eyes.

Draco snorted, "Easily, he's a fucking monster."

Granger pulled back and nodded, looking like she was thinking deeply. Draco studied her face, counting the freckles across her nose while he waited for her to speak. She bit her lip before nodding again.

"Do you think you could betray Fenrir?" she asked, her voice wavering a bit.

Draco nodded, but didn't say anything for a moment. _Could he betray his Alpha?_ Maybe if he became Alpha, then he could take over the pack. There was a lot of loyalty to Fenrir, but Draco was sure nobody else in the pack knew about Fenrir's fetish for torture and rape. That could make him lose the loyalty he had, and the pack would see him as the monster he was.

Draco also suspected that the Dark Lord was just using the pack for his own gains; he didn't really believe that the pack would be elevated beyond where they currently resided in society. He would have to convince the pack that he was the best thing for it. It was going to require some tricky maneuvering - they wouldn't be able to leave the service of the Dark Lord en masse. He looked at the witch in his lap. He had the brightest witch of their age on his side. If anyone could figure it out, she could.

" _Follow your mate, boy. Alpha sounds… perfect for us,"_ Reule whispered to him.

"I think it would be less of a betrayal of Fenrir, and more of taking the pack from him," Draco told her quietly. "I almost beat Fenrir in both Beta ceremonies. I think in time, a few months or maybe a year, I could supplant him and become Alpha."

Hermione's eyes widened at that, as though she hadn't expected that answer. She smiled, "Alpha," she murmured softly and rolled her hips along his. Draco had been half-hard since their heated kiss and the feel of her warm center rolling along his cock was enough to fully inflate him. He lifted his hips in response, his hands on her waist, pushing her down more firmly against his erection. She moaned and tipped her head back, rocking her hips forward again, finding a tempo.

Draco slipped his hands under her shirt, stroking the soft skin at her waist and stomach. He traced her scar, starting at her hip, then up to her breast, stroking her through her bra. She met his gaze and leaned forward, kissing him softly on the lips as she continued rolling her hips. Granger slipped her hands around and began pushing off his robes. Draco shrugged out of them and returned his hands to her blouse, unfastening all of the buttons as he pushed it off her, continuing to kiss her. When she pulled her arms out of her blouse, she pulled back from the kiss and undid the clasp on her bra, letting that fall to the floor. She bared herself to him - breasts, thick ropey scar, everything. Draco was sure he had never seen anything more beautiful in the world.

He was entranced at the sight of her breasts, her nipples were dusky and hardened into peaks. He leaned forward and gave the left one a lick and was rewarded with a moan and another hip roll. He licked and suckled at each breast, giving each nipple an equal amount of attention. Granger moaned and rocked into him, lost in the pleasure Draco was giving her. Draco slipped his hands down her hips and to her skirt, finding the zipper and pulling it down as Granger worked on his own shirt between grinds. He didn't want Granger to get up yet, so he wiggled a hand between them to find her slit. He got a finger into her folds and Granger cried out in surprise at the touch. Draco smirked up at her, and she flushed in response, turning red from her cheeks down her chest to the tops of her breasts.

"Draco," she panted and closed her eyes, clearly enjoying his fingers. He found her clit and pressed it with his thumb, causing a series of jerking hip movements from Granger. She was unexpectedly wet when he finally slipped a finger inside of her, so tight, so wet. His cock grew so hard that he didn't think he could get more turned on. Granger rocked and rolled above him, using his fingers to bring her to her orgasm, he thumbed her clit in time with the tempo she set. Draco kept one hand on her back to keep her breasts level with his mouth as she worked herself over him. He continued to alternate sucking at each nipple. Draco could feel her impending orgasm, her walls fluttered around his fingers and he curled them forward, hitting that spongy spot at the front of her channel and with that Granger came around him with a moan of his name. It was the most lovely thing Draco had ever heard. He vowed to himself he would hear that sound as often as he possibly could. She lay her head on Draco's shoulder as she panted and came down from her orgasm.

"Merlin, Draco," Granger mumbled, kissing his neck. Draco's fingers were still buried inside her. He wanted to mark her, to make her his. He wiggled his fingers a bit, Granger's walls fluttered a bit around him and she moaned into his ear. He pulled his hand out from her skirt and lifted her chin to give her a kiss.

Draco maneuvered Granger to lie back on the couch, he pulled her skirt and knickers off. Then took a moment to tug her shoes off and roll her stockings down her legs. She stretched back gazing up at him, the sight of her post-orgasmic bliss made Draco's heart swell in pride.

He stood from the couch and shrugged off his shirt, then shoved his trousers and pants down, toeing off his boots and socks. He lay down on top of her, balancing himself on his arms and knees, she looped her arms around his shoulders and pulled herself up to kiss him. He returned the kiss and laid over her, covering her body. His erection bobbed against her stomach and he couldn't help but to grind it into her, moaning at the feel of her soft skin.

"Are you sure about this, Granger?" Draco asked pulling back from the kiss and looking into her eyes.

"Hermione," she moaned, lifting her hips into his, her legs falling open to cradle his hips.

"Hermione," he said with a nod and she moaned in response, running her hands along his back.

"Hermione," he murmured again, her hands clenched, her nails digging into his back, making him flinch.

"Yes, Draco!" she cried out as he slipped a hand down to her mound again, sliding a finger inside and pumping it slowly.

"I'm going to have to mark you," Draco panted. "I'm not sure I'll be able to keep Reule back." He told her urgently as she bucked against his hand.

"Gods, yes, Draco. I need you," Hermione pleaded with him, lifting her hips in time with his fingers pumping in and out of her.

"I need you to say it, Hermione. Say you want me to mark you," Draco groaned out as Hermione clenched around his fingers. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Draco, gods, Draco. I need you to mark me. Make me yours," she whispered staring into his eyes.

Draco moaned in response and removed his fingers from her. He grasped his cock and rubbed the head along Hermione's clit, coating it in her juices. He lined himself up and slowly sank into her. Hermione threw her head back arching up into him, and Draco dipped his head and licked one of her nipples, sucking it into his mouth and teasing it with his tongue as Hermione continued to buck into him. He held himself still, allowing her to work herself on him. She drew him close, holding his head to her breast as her hips jerked into his. Finally, Draco moved, pulling out slowly and pushing back in a little faster, Hermione pulled her knees up and tilted her hips so he bottomed out, his sack lightly slapping at her arse.

"Yes," Hermione hissed at him as he pulled out and pushed back in a little harder. "Right there," she moaned tilting her hips toward his. Draco felt like fire was running through his veins as he took his mate. He could feel Reule pacing in the back of his head, itching to come forward in order to mark her as his mate.

"Where?" Draco asked as he continued slowly pumping in and out of Hermione. Hermione looked up at him confused.

"Where do you want me to mark you? I assume you don't want something too public?" Draco panted, working his hips a little faster, his sack slapping a little harder against her soft skin. He was struggling to keep from coming at the sight she made, with her skin flushed and her hair spread around her like a halo. The look of want and need on her face, the want and need she could feel for him alone was enough to make him come. Hermione touched her left breast, right above her heart, between her scar and her sternum.

"Here, mark me here," she moaned as he sped up even more, grinding his pubic bone into her clit. Draco nodded and allowed Reule to come forward. He had been working hard on keeping him back so he could make it good for Draco. But Draco didn't really know what he was supposed to do, and he figured Reule would know best, with his connection to the collective. He did. He didn't shove Draco back as he normally did, but instead it felt like he just came forward and shared control with Draco.

Draco leaned down, suckling on Hermione's left nipple. He slipped a hand down to her clit, wanting to mark her as she came around him. Several minutes and a deep thrust with his cock and she was groaning his name through her orgasm. He bit her left breast, just to the side of her scar, tasting her hot, salty blood, which sent him to his own orgasm.

Reule howled in his mind as Hermione was bonded to him. " _The collective is pleased,_ " Reule told him once the bonding was complete.

They lay on the couch panting for a few minutes, before Draco pulled himself up so he wouldn't crush her. He looked down at the mark he made on her breast and was pleased to see it was already healing itself, part of the magic of the mate bond, it wouldn't react like a normal werewolf bite.. It was small enough, just his four canines. He looked up to catch Hermione's eyes.

"Is it ok?" he asked, suddenly unsure of himself and what she was going to say now that he had marked her.

She smiled at him and pulled him into a kiss, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking, "It's perfect," she said when she pulled away. She brought his hand to the mark, pressing her hand on top of his.

He smiled at her and leaned down for another kiss, then broke away and kissed down her neck to his mark. His. She was finally his. He nipped at her left nipple and licked along her scar. She stiffened a bit when he did that, so he shifted to lie on his side with his back to the back of the couch, pulling her in front of him. She grabbed the blanket from the back of the couch and settled it over them.

"Hermione," he whispered in her ear, holding her close. "How are we going to make this work? Do you have a plan?"

"Shhh, let's sleep for a bit. We'll figure it out, I promise," Hermione said with a yawn as she snuggled deeper into his arms. Draco hadn't slept well since the night of the revel, and he felt himself nodding off quickly.

His last thought before sleep took him was that he was sure he was in love with Hermione. He felt Reule nod in agreement just before he slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, she's marked! It's official! Let me know what you think, I estimate that we're about at the halfway point in this fic. And don't worry, lots of Hermione action coming up. :-)**


	19. Chapter 19

Harry Potter had been following Draco Malfoy around Hogwarts all year - there was something off about him. He was different this year and Harry was determined to figure out how and why. Harry suspected it was because he was a Death Eater, although Hermione had scoffed at him for that idea. Then that curious display in Defense class happened. Ron cursed Hermione, pretty unfairly, even Harry could agree with that, but Malfoy jumped to her defense. Cursing Ron and cradling Hermione. What happened to Malfoy that he was now protective of her? It could not be because he was a Death Eater, as a Death Eater he would have been thrilled to see Hermione hurt. And why did it seem every time Harry turned around Malfoy was bigger? He was at least 15 centimeters taller than he had been at the end of the year last year, and now he looked like a lock for a rugby team, tall and built like an ox. That was new and different and couldn't be attributed to being a Death Eater. It must be due to being a werewolf, which Harry only knew about because Hermione told him.

When Hermione told him that Malfoy was not only a werewolf, but also claiming to be her mate, he was immediately suspicious. How convenient for Malfoy and the Death Eaters for Hermione to be his 'mate'. Harry didn't buy it and he couldn't believe that as smart as Hermione was, she was buying it either. The more Harry thought about it though, it made sense that Hermione was being so naive. Hermione had never really dated anyone, unless you count attending the Yule Ball with Krum. She probably thought Malfoy was being earnest, but Harry was a teenage boy. He knew how other teenage boys thought. As soon as Malfoy seduced her, he would drop her. Or even worse, pump her for information about the Order of the Phoenix and bring that information back to Voldemort. Harry couldn't allow that to happen.

He had learned a thing or two in the last six years. Instead of having a huge blow-up with Hermione, Harry decided it would be much easier to stay on friendly terms with her. It may even make it easier for him to follow Malfoy, which was a win-win in Harry's mind. He had been doing well until this last week, when he watched as Narcissa Malfoy came onto Hogwarts property via the Marauder's Map. He followed her dot as she went up the stairs to the headmaster's office where she spoke with Snape and Dumbledore.

Harry was sitting comfortably in the common room as he watched the action unfold on the map. When he saw Malfoy and his mother leave the headmaster's office together, Harry knew he had to investigate. He had his invisibility cloak shoved in his bag; he'd had it there for moments like this, for whenever he got a chance to sneak away and follow Malfoy. He left his bag by the chair, cleared the map and shoved it inside while pulling the cloak out at the same time. He ran out of the portrait hole and flew down the stairs to the Entrance Hall. He was scrambling down the last staircase to the Entrance Hall when he spotted the Malfoy's exiting the castle. Harry threw his cloak over his shoulders and followed them out the door.

He stayed back, even though he didn't think they were talking. It wouldn't do to get caught, so he kept back so he could watch from a distance. They left the grounds and disapparated away with a loud crack. _Huh,_ Harry thought, _why was Malfoy leaving school grounds?_

Harry knew about the Azkaban breakout of course, maybe Malfoy was being summoned home to see his father? If he wasn't already a Death Eater as Hermione claimed, maybe he would be when he returned? And even if he wasn't a Death Eater, he still had some strange habits that weren't explained away by the lycanthropy. Why was he spending so much time in the Room of Requirement? By himself? He never went in with anyone else, so it must be a secret meeting place for him and his Death Eater junior mates. Harry had never even seen him go in with Hermione. They must be meeting elsewhere in the castle.

Malfoy had been gone for a week. He hadn't come to the Great Hall for meals since before Halloween, and he wasn't in any of the classes Harry shared with him. Harry was sure he had been summoned home to take the Dark Mark - there was no other explanation in his mind.

Harry had taken to leaving the map open and engaged at all times, constantly on the lookout for Malfoy's name. If he was fixated before, now that Malfoy had gone, he was obsessed. He had the map with him in class, at meals in the Great Hall, and even took it down to the Quidditch pitch with him. The only time he left the map alone was when he was in the shower, which is how he somehow missed the exact moment that Malfoy came back onto school grounds.

Harry was drying his hair as he realized that he could see Malfoy's dot climbing the stairs, clearly heading for the Room of Requirement. Harry hurried to get dressed, tugging on his shoes as he stumbled out of his dorm room and down the stairs to the common room. He tumbled out of the portrait hole and took off at a sprint for the Room of Requirement, trying to head Malfoy off. He turned the corner and watched as Malfoy disappeared into the room, the door shrinking until it vanished. Harry pounded on the stone a few times, but the door didn't reappear. He paced back in forth in front of that section of wall, thinking about Malfoy, thinking about finding Malfoy, but it was to no avail. A door would not appear.

Harry looked down at the parchment he was still clutching, and sure enough, Malfoy's dot was nowhere to be found. He decided he would just wait for Malfoy to emerge from the Room of Requirement. He had him cornered and wasn't about to let him get away without seeing his forearm. Harry sat down in the hallway across from where the Room of Requirements door would open.

For the first hour or so, Harry kept himself busy by tracking people on the map. He started feeling himself nod off and stood up to job around the hallway a bit. He looked at his watch: he'd been waiting for four hours already, and dinner was going to be starting soon. Harry contemplated going down to the Great Hall to grab something before deciding he would wait it out a bit longer. He was glad he did. As he was pacing the hallway, he heard a door open and whirled around to see Hermione peeking out from the Room of Requirement. Had she really been in the Room of Requirement with Malfoy for hours?

"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he jogged to meet up with her. Hermione turned her head toward him and her eyes grew wide. She slammed the door, but it didn't disappear this time. Harry banged his fist on the door.

"Hermione! Malfoy! Open up!" Harry cried out as he pounded on the door, the loud booming reverberated throughout the hallway.

"Merlin, Potter, are you trying to get the whole castle up here?" Malfoy complained, swiftly opening the door again. He grasped Harry's wrist to keep him from pounding into his face.

"Malfoy, let go," Harry growled pulling his hand back away from the taller boy. Malfoy just smirked in response. Hermione had her school bag slung over her shoulder and she stood next to Malfoy. She looked up at him and gave him a small smile.

"Come on, Harry, let's go back to the common room," Hermione said to him as she made to exit the room.

"Not yet, Hermione. I have to ask Malfoy something," Harry replied with steel in his voice.

Malfoy sighed dramatically, "Go on, Potter."

"Did you get the Mark?" Harry asked bluntly. He didn't miss Hermione's gasp or the fact that her eyes flitted to Malfoy's left arm before looking up at the blond.

"What business of it is yours, Potter?" Malfoy spit at him.

"It's my business when you drag Hermione into it!" Harry shouted at him. He had his wand up his robe sleeve and slipped it down. He wasn't leaving until he found out whether Malfoy had the Mark or not. He was going to see his arm, even if it meant he had to hex both Malfoy and Hermione.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted at him.

"She's a big girl, Potter. She can take care of herself," Malfoy smirked at Potter. Harry didn't miss the way Hermione glared at Malfoy and elbowed him in the side, or the way Malfoy's arm snaked around Hermione's waist.

"I know she can take care of herself. She's the brightest witch in this school. That doesn't mean that I won't look out for my friends, Malfoy. Show me your left arm," Harry brandished his wand at Malfoy, ignoring Hermione's glare at him.

"I don't think so," Malfoy said, narrowing his eyes at Harry. Harry glared back. He reached out with his left hand and grasped Hermione's arm.

"Come on, Hermione," Harry said tugging her arm. He wanted her to get behind him so she wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. He could see Malfoy's wand tapping against his thigh. Hermione tugged her arm away from Harry.

"Harry, put your wand away," Hermione told him - crossing her arms over her chest and elbowing Malfoy again in the process.

"Not until I see his arm. Come on, Hermione. Get behind me," Harry told her as he tugged on her arm again.

Malfoy tightened his arm around Hermione's waist.

"I don't think the lady wants to go with you, Potter," Malfoy sneered at him.

"Hermione!" Harry said louder, raising his wand again as Malfoy tucked her even closer into his side.

Hermione stepped away from Malfoy; elbowing him a third time in the stomach, harder than the last two times if the grunt Malfoy gave out was any indication. She pushed Harry's wand down and shoved his chest as well.

"I am not a possession to be fought over!" Hermione shouted at the both of them, glaring, a palm on each of their chests.

"Hermione, he's using you!" Harry shouted.

"You think I am so gullible, Harry Potter?" Hermione snapped back, eyes narrowing at him.

"Hermione, please. I know how he thinks," Harry pleaded with her.

Malfoy chuckled, darkly, "I really don't believe you have any idea how I think, Potter." Malfoy had taken a step back and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the two Gryffindors argue.

"Shut it, Malfoy!" Harry shouted as Hermione said at the same time, "You aren't helping, Draco."

"Hermione, just tell me. Has he taken the Dark Mark?" Harry asked her, looking into her eyes. Hermione looked down and Harry could see the guilt creep in before she recovered.

"Of course, not Harry! Why would You-Know-Who want a kid as a Death Eater? He's not even a fully trained wizard," Hermione lied to him.

"Granger!" Malfoy whined. Hermione turned to look over her shoulder at him, and whatever expression she had on her face seemed to mollify Malfoy.

"Don't lie to me, Hermione. Our friendship may not survive it. I am sick to death of people lying to me!" Harry told her. He couldn't believe that Hermione of all people was going to lie right to his face! He knew she was lying - she had looked at Malfoy's arm when he first asked. And now, he could see the guilt of the lie in her eyes as she tried to hide it.

"Harry, please. You have to trust me," Hermione pleaded.

"How can I trust you when you are lying to me right now? And sleeping with the enemy!" Harry shouted at her.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, turning beet red, Malfoy smirking behind her. Harry's suspicions were confirmed. She was sleeping with Malfoy. He had lost his best friend to fucking Malfoy.

"I can't believe you, Hermione. Does loyalty and friendship mean so little to you?" Harry asked, the hurt clear in his voice.

"Fuck, Potter. Don't do this," Malfoy said running a hand through his hair. He moved further back into the room to give them a little privacy.

Hermione grabbed Harry's arm and dragged him into the Room of Requirement, letting the door shut behind him.

"Draco, this is your decision," Hermione said quietly, moving to stand next to Malfoy, her hand on his back They both faced the fireplace at the far end of the room. Harry glanced around the room, it seemed to waver for a moment before it turned into an empty room. There was a fireplace at one end, near where Hermione and Malfoy stood. Then there was an old work table, that looked like it had seen years of potions classes. Otherwise, the room was empty.

"Hermione, tell me what's going on," Harry said again.

Hermione turned back to him, "I've already told you, Harry. Draco's punishment over the summer was to be bit as a werewolf, you know this. I'm his mate -"

Harry interrupted, scoffing, "You don't really buy that shite do you?"

"Potter," Malfoy warned with a growl. Hermione turned back to Draco and whispered to him so quietly that Harry couldn't hear it before turning back to him.

"Harry, did it ever occur to you to ask the werewolf you do know about mates?" Hermione asked him. Harry could feel himself redden. He hadn't. He hadn't written Remus to ask about them. He just assumed Malfoy had to be lying to Hermione.

"No, I didn't write Remus," Harry forced out quietly. He was leaning back on the door. Maybe Malfoy wasn't lying? It didn't really fit with the previous six years of Malfoy's behavior. Harry was convinced that Malfoy must have wanted something from Hermione.

"So, are you telling me that even though you didn't do any research, and you didn't write the only werewolf you know, you are an expert on werewolf mating habits?" Hermione asked him as Malfoy snickered by the fireplace.

"Gods, Hermione, cut the shite. You aren't an expert on werewolf mating habits either. Neither is he!" Harry pointed to Malfoy.

"More of an expert than you are, Potter," Malfoy drawled, pointing to himself. "I'm a werewolf."

Harry rolled his eyes at Malfoy's antics.

"Merlin's pants, Harry! What do you want?" Hermione asked.

"I want to see his left fucking arm! I want to know if there is an unaccounted Death Eater in this castle!" Harry shouted at the both of them. Hermione turned back to Draco, clearly pleading with him.

"Draco, if we don't tell him, I'll lose any protection I have," Hermione said quietly.

"What protection?" Harry asked, suspicion heavy in his voice.

"The protection of being the Beta's mate who also happens to be best friends with The Chosen One," Hermione snapped at him.

"He's Beta? What does that mean?" Harry asked.

"Potter, seriously, one thing at a time," Malfoy said with exasperation.

"Draco," Hermione warned.

"Fine, I'll tell him what I can, but only what we decided we'd tell Lupin," Draco replied.

"Wait, you were going to tell Remus?" Harry asked.

"Circe, Potter. Sit down and shut up," Malfoy said pointing to the old table. Hermione glared at Malfoy, but grabbed Harry's arm and led him to the table. She perched next to him and turned to face him while Malfoy stayed standing by the fireplace. Nobody said anything for several moments.

"Well… Is someone going to start talking? Or am I supposed to use Legilimens on you both?" Harry asked.

Malfoy ran his hand through his hair again and glared at Harry. Hermione turned to look at Malfoy.

"It's your story, Draco. But I'll tell it if you want," Hermione offered, smiling softly at him. Harry grimaced at the look on her face. She looked like she was in love with the tosser!

"I'll start, but you can fill in the bits you know," Malfoy replied. He turned to Harry, "You know about the punishment over the summer, and you've been following me all year. I'm guessing you know I was out of the castle for the last week?"

Harry nodded.

"I was summoned home for the Beta ceremony. You can ask Lupin, or Hermione, about that later. It's not that important. While I was home, there was a revel-"

"A Death Eater Revel? Did you attend? I knew you were a Death Eater!" Harry jumped up from the table and brandished his wand again. Hermione plucked it out of his hand and pushed him back.

"Sit down and listen, Harry!" Hermione admonished.

"When the Dark Lord has been living in your house for the better part of a year and a half and has your mother held hostage, you do what the Dark Lord wants," Malfoy stated coldly.

"It was required attendance. At the revel, I finally saw just how horrible Greyback is," Malfoy seemed to shudder at the memory.

"What did he do?" Harry asked. He had to know how bad these revels were.

"It's not important. Let's just say that I am glad the muggle he tortured is dead, because I wouldn't want anyone to have to live through that." Malfoy turned around to face the fireplace. Harry narrowed his eyes. He was definitely faking all of this angst right? No way Malfoy actually felt bad for a muggle.

When Malfoy turned back around, Harry could see that his eyes were red, like he had been trying to not cry. Malfoy shot a pleading look to Hermione, who had been leaning against the table and walked to Malfoy. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. The way Malfoy sank into her comfort sent a shock wave through Harry. This was proof, whether he wanted to recognize it or not, that on some level Malfoy cared for Hermione. Harry didn't think he would show that much vulnerability with anyone he didn't care for. Despite this, Harry was sure that Malfoy had an ulterior motive and he would be the one to figure it out, with or without Hermione's help.

Hermione broke away from Malfoy and stood next to Harry. Malfoy turned back to face the fireplace, so Harry turned to Hermione and raised an eyebrow.

"He's that broken up over a muggle?" Harry asked in a low voice, clearly not believing this performance.

"He is upset about the muggle. What he had to watch and was forced to participate in was… inhumane," Hermione started.

"Participated?!" Harry shouted leaping from the table again. "Granger!" Malfoy exclaimed at the same time, shooting her a warning look.

"Both of you, calm down! Will you let me talk?" Hermione glared at them both until they complied. Malfoy turned away again and Harry leaned back against the edge of the table.

"I will _Silencio_ you both, so help me," Hermione murmured just loud enough they both could hear it. Malfoy nodded, still not looking at either of them. Harry narrowed his eyes at Hermione but nodded as well.

"He's more upset by what happened after the torture of the muggle," Hermione said. She looked back at Malfoy and even Harry could see the tension in his shoulders as he gripped the mantle of the fireplace in both hands, head hanging down between his shoulders. What in the world could be so terrible?

"You-Know-Who ordered Greyback to kill Lucius Malfoy," Hermione stated quietly.

"Lucius is dead then? That's one less Death Eater," Harry responded, not thinking about who else was in the room with them.

"Happy Potter? My father is dead and so you have one less enemy in the world?" Malfoy spat at him as he whirled around from the fireplace and pointed his wand at Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione shouted at the same time.

"Er, that came out wrong," Harry tried. Hermione went to Malfoy, talking to him so quietly that even though Harry strained his ears, he couldn't hear.

"Uh, sorry Malfoy, about your father," Harry said quietly, looking at the other boy. Malfoy met his gaze and gave a sharp nod before turning his attention back to Hermione, ignoring Harry completely.

 _Bullocks_ , Harry thought. It was good that Lucius Malfoy was dead, but he could see how insensitive it was to say that in front of the younger Malfoy. No wonder Malfoy had holed himself up in the Room of Requirement as soon as he returned to the castle.

Hermione stepped away from Malfoy and walked to Harry once more.

"Draco planned to go to Remus, because he thinks he can take over the werewolf pack, especially with Remus' help. He doesn't want to be a Death Eater, and he doesn't want to serve You-Know-Who," Hermione said.

"What changed?" Harry asked, clearly not believing that Malfoy wouldn't want to serve the Dark Lord.

"He moved in," Malfoy replied. "Not that I care what you think, Potter, but if you believe me, Granger assures me that the rest of your side will follow. Prior to the Dark Lord's return, he practically felt like this mythical figure. Then he returned and reality struck. I don't know if he's getting much in the way of new followers, other than his current followers' kids. Anyone with two braincells to rub together can see that he is bat-shite crazy. He kills almost as many of his followers as he does muggles, his so-called 'scourge of the earth'."

"So, what, you like muggles now?" Harry asked, pretending confusion.

"Sure, Potter, I'm a huge muggle lover. Does that fit your requirement?" Malfoy asked snidely. Hermione turned her glare to Malfoy again.

"He doesn't have to love muggles in order to not want to serve You-Know-Who," Hermione stated. When Harry raised an eyebrow at her, she went on. "Do other wizards love muggles? Most of the wizarding world doesn't love muggles. The wizarding world, in general, choose to limit their relationships to only include other wizards. You don't love the muggles you live with. Look at the Weasley's, look at Neville. You aren't questioning whether they want to serve You-Know-Who, are you?" Hermione's voice just as snide as Malfoy's had been.

Harry leaned back against the table and thought about that for a moment. Hermione did have a point. For a wizarding family headed by Arthur Weasley, the Weasleys were pretty backwards when it came to understanding muggles. And they definitely weren't the only wizards like that, Harry had seen that with his own eyes from his dorm mates. Of course the Weasley's wouldn't back Voldemort, Harry knew that even if they weren't hip to muggle culture. He turned and contemplated Malfoy. He still didn't buy this total change of heart, but he could see how watching your father be murdered in front of you would make you decide to be on the other side of the war.

"So, are you a Death Eater?" Harry finally asked Malfoy.

Malfoy sighed heavily and pushed up the sleeve on his left arm, turning his head so Harry couldn't look him in the eye. Harry was immediately drawn to the ugly, angry, black tattoo marring Malfoy's forearm. Harry was right! Malfoy was a Death Eater! Vindication! Hadn't he been telling Hermione all year?

"The revel on Halloween included Draco taking the Dark Mark. He can work from inside the Death Eaters to bring them down, and he can take over the werewolf pack. It's the largest pack in Great Britain and would be a huge win for our side," Hermione told him. Halloween, Harry grunted to himself, so he hadn't been a Death Eater all year. Still, Harry was right, Malfoy was a Death Eater.

"Fine, I can buy your story for now, Malfoy. But you put one toe out of line, you hurt Hermione in any way? And you are a dead man, werewolf or not," Harry threatened as he straightened himself.

"Thank you, Harry," Hermione said with a relieved smile. Malfoy nodded at him.

"We can't say anything to Ron," Hermione cautioned.

"I'm not that big of an idiot," Harry replied with an eye roll. Ron would blow a gasket, and then the whole school would know. No, this secret was too big for Ron.

"When do you plan talk to Remus?" Harry asked as he walked back toward the door. Hermione following close behind him.

"Next Hogsmeade weekend, I hope. I'm off to write him now," Hermione replied.

"I want to be there," Harry told her. He could see Malfoy rolling his eyes, but he didn't care. He wanted to know what Remus thought about all of this and he didn't want to hear it secondhand.

"Fine," Hermione nodded in agreement.

Harry opened the door and gestured for Hermione to lead the way back to the common room, but she shook her head.

"I'll meet you back there," she said. "I want to chat with Draco for a moment."

Harry nodded, giving Malfoy one last glare before exiting the Room of Requirement and heading back to the Gryffindor common room.

It had been an interesting afternoon, and he'd finally discovered that Malfoy was a Death Eater. Although, it appeared he was a reluctant Death Eater. Harry still wasn't sure about Malfoy's motives toward Hermione - he planned to write to Remus today to see what he could find out about werewolves and their mates. He was cautiously optimistic that Malfoy could be an asset to the Order, but he fanreally wanted to hear what Remus thought about it.

He vowed he would still keep an eye on Malfoy and by extension, Hermione. He did not trust Malfoy, not for a minute.

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies for the long wait, my dears. This was a difficult chapter to write, apparently writing Harry is hard? Or something? Anyway, thank you to the lovely brownlark42 for fixing all of my run-on sentences. This would be illegible without her valuable assistance. I make collages for each chapter I post, you can find them on tumblr at crochetawayhpff, follow me there! And I would love to know what you thought about this chapter! 3**


	20. Chapter 20

_Dear Miss Granger,_

 _I'm sure my son has explained his situation to you by now, if anything Fenrir Greyback has told me about werewolf mates is true. I hope you know that I am a loving parent to Draco and would do anything in my power to see him survive the coming conflict. He has taken the death of his father harder than I expected._

 _Please watch over him for me._

 _I want to reiterate that I would do absolutely anything for my son and his survival._

 _Regards,_

 _Narcissa Malfoy_

* * *

 _Dear Mrs. Malfoy,_

 _Thank you for your letter. Draco and I have spoken about his difficult week at home. I am happy to follow your directive. I will be sure to reach out if I need help in the future._

 _Hermione Granger_

* * *

 _Darling Draco,_

 _I hope you are doing well and are able to keep up in your classes. I worry about you, dear, with you so far away from me during this difficult time. Please take care of yourself. It would break me if anything were to happen to you. I hope you know that I would do anything for you, son. Absolutely anything._

 _Your uncle Rodolphus has been more attentive than usual. Is that your doing? Thank you for looking out for me. However, I am capable of taking care of myself._

 _While I do appreciate that both Bella and Greyback have been scarce the last few weeks, it has been lonely without the daytime companionship. I am a Slytherin; I do know a few things about dissembling._

 _However, in Bella and Greyback's absence, both Rodolphus and Severus have been by, making more time to visit with me in the evenings. Please know who you can count on._

 _Write to me again soon, my darling son._

 _All my love,_

 _Mother_

* * *

 _Dear Mother,_

 _I am doing well, and Hermione is making sure I stay on top of all of my classes. Never fear there - she is relentless in her pursuit of knowledge and education for herself and all of her friends._

 _I hope you know that your sentiment applies to me as well. It would break me if anything were to happen to you. I worry about you alone in that house. I hope you are keeping yourself safe._

 _I will admit to speaking with Uncle Rodolphus before I left. I'm glad he's kept his word - I wasn't sure he would after the conversation I had with him. I'm glad he and Snape are able to keep you company. I'd prefer you spent time with stable, sane people._

 _I am hoping to come home for Yule holidays and I may be directed to bring Hermione with me. I will keep you informed on that front. Please know that if I do bring Hermione, she will be staying with me in my room in the family wing. This is not up for debate._

 _Stay safe,_

 _Draco_

* * *

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _Apologies for the late reply! I know it has been a couple of months, and I'm sure you are worried - but don't be. The Order has kept me busy. I'm working to liaise with other werewolf packs in Britain, as you know, and it's difficult and sometimes dangerous work._

 _Not to worry, though, Dora has been taking good care of me and reminded me that I had never gotten to your last letter. As you have found, not enough is written about werewolves in any book. Most of our history is passed on from Sire to newly bitten. As I did not (and do not) get along with my Sire, most of what I know is gleaned from other lone werewolves and low-level pack members._

 _A werewolf mate is almost legendary in how infrequently they happen to the common werewolf. From the little I know and have been able to find out, the werewolves who often run across their true mate tend to be those from a pack and high in the pack organization. Alpha's and Beta's tend to have mates. Lone wolves very, very rarely find their mate._

 _I am lucky in that I found my mate in Dora. Extremely lucky, as she is wont to remind me._

 _That isn't to say that a werewolf can't mate for life without finding their true mate. That does happen and is commonly accepted by packs. However, a true werewolf mate is instinctual to the wolf: he can smell her and she smells like home to him. Once bonded, a mate and werewolf will only part in death, and the werewolf would rather die than let his mate die._

 _It's rumored that Greyback had a mate and that's the reason he's as cruel as he is. I don't know how true it is as I try to not think about him._

 _I'll let Dora tell you how being a mate affects someone. I'm sure she can tell it better than me anyway, so be on the lookout for her letter._

 _Hopefully this is helpful for your knowledge about werewolves. I expect that you are far enough ahead in Defense that it's still relevant for the essay Professor Snape undoubtedly assigned you. Feel free to cite me as a resource; however, I'm not sure Professor Snape would consider me a valid one._

 _I hope you are doing well and keeping the boys in line. I'll try to be more attentive in my communication when I can be. There's something big going on in Greyback's pack, but I can't get close to it because of the location. My missions will be on hold for a little while._

 _Best,_

 _Remus Lupin_

* * *

 _Wotcher, 'Mione!_

 _Remus tells me you were asking about werewolf mates? And were wondering how being a mate affected you? Is this for a class? I'm sure it is. Anyway, I'm happy to tell you._

 _Before I convinced Remus to bond me, being a werewolf mate didn't mean a whole lot. In fact, I didn't even know I was Remus' mate, even while I was pursuing him. He had never told me. Stubborn man._

 _After he bonded me though, my world opened up. I could feel Remus and his emotions through the bond. We had to be close in order for me to feel them, but I could. It was like a niggling in the back of my mind, just a small voice that said things like, "he's happy about that" or "he doesn't want to talk about this thing". It's kind of weird. But has brought us so much closer together. Remus thinks that if he were in some kind of mortal danger, the bond would let me know._

 _We plan to run some experiments on the bond to see how close or far away I am from him in order to get it to work. We're hoping that it'll be useful in the war. Apparently it works both ways, but Remus is pretty tight-lipped about it. Maybe once we work on the experiments, he'll open up more to me._

 _Anywho, hope you are doing well! And that you are keeping Harry's spirits up._

 _Tonks_

* * *

 _Dear Tonks and Remus,_

 _Thank you so much for answering my questions! I think it really fleshed out my essay for Professor Snape. Although, I'm sure he will deduct points because I cited you both._

 _I would love to know more about the bond and your experiments with it, if you are willing to share. It all sounds very intimate, so I understand if you aren't._

 _I am well and the boys both send their love. I'll write again soon._

 _Best,_

 _Hermione  
_

* * *

 _Dear Remus,_

 _Thank you again for the information on werewolf mates. I was wondering if you would be available to meet Harry and I in Hogsmeade during our next visit? It'll be the third weekend in November, if you are free. Tonks is welcome too, if you would like to make a day of it._

 _Best,_

 _Hermione_

* * *

 _Dear Hermione,_

 _Dora and I would love to see you and Harry (no Ron?) in Hogsmeade. We'll meet you at Three Broomsticks at 11 AM._

 _Remus_

* * *

 _Dear Remus,_

 _11 AM is perfect., However, we may need more privacy than the Three Broomsticks offers. Let's still plan to meet there, but we may change our location upon meeting. I look forward to seeing both you and Tonks._

 _Hermione_

 _P.S. Ron has a date for this Hogsmeade weekend and won't be joining us.  
_

* * *

 _My darling son,_

 _I am so glad you have Miss Granger to keep you on track with your schooling. She sounds like a sensible young woman. I look forward to meeting her when you come home for Yule. In fact, I insist that both you and Miss Granger spend Yule with me at the Manor._

 _I am concerned about your insistence that she stay in your room, but I do understand your thoughts behind this. I am sure this will not be a problem for anyone else who will be staying at the Manor at that time. I will be sure that those expectations are clear with our guests._

 _Severus has also accepted my invitation to Yule at the Manor and will be escorting you and Miss Granger when break starts. I look forward to seeing you all and spending the holidays together._

 _Since your father's passing, we will forgo our annual New Year's Eve ball, in favor of a closer, family and friends gathering. Unfortunately, Miss Granger will not be invited to that. Severus will escort her back to Hogwarts._

 _I look forward to meeting Miss Granger and seeing you again._

 _All my love,_

 _Mother_

* * *

Hermione was looking forward to the approaching Hogsmeade weekend. It had been a long few weeks since Draco had returned to Hogwarts and she was hoping that all of their planning would pay off come this weekend. She had spent every spare moment with Draco, squirrelled away in the Room of Requirement going over their plan.

First, there would be no lying. They had decided to withhold whatever information they felt necessary, which at the moment was two tasks: Voldemort's directive that Draco kill Dumbledore; and Greyback's instruction to fix the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Hidden Things.

Both of those tasks had come as quite a nasty shock to Hermione when Draco finally divulged them. They had been in the Room of Requirement when Hermione had asked Draco if there was anything else they could bargain with in order to obtain help from the Order. Draco had turned to her with a sheepish expression on his face. She knew instantly that he was keeping something from her.

"Draco, you cannot keep secrets from me if you expect me to help you!" Hermione had told him at the time. She was upset that he felt like he needed to keep secrets to begin with.

And then Draco dropped the bomb on her. Not only was he assigned to kill Dumbledore, but Greyback thought he was doing Draco a service by offering to do it for him. And then Greyback gave Draco details on the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Hidden Things, telling him that its pair was in Borgin and Burkes. Greyback charged Draco with fixing it so that Draco could let Death Eaters into the castle. Death Eaters! Hermione had nearly exploded with anger that he had kept this from her.

She promptly left the Room of Requirement and didn't return for almost a week. True to Tonks' word, she could feel the niggling in the back of her head that was Draco's emotions through the mate bond. He was despondent and sorry. He hadn't said a word to her the whole week though, and she knew he thought that she was going to be done with him for good. That wasn't the case, but Hermione was just so angry. She was angry that he had kept secrets, she was angry that he was made to be a Death Eater, and she was angry that they were stuck on opposite sides of this war. She had come to know Draco so well over the last few months and she knew in her heart he wasn't a bad person. Not really. Did he spout the prejudice nonsense he was raised with? Yes, but that wasn't his fault.

How quickly had he accepted that he was now a werewolf and was embracing it? How quickly had he discovered her as a mate and suddenly none of the blood purity propaganda mattered anymore? How quickly had he discovered he was not Death Eater material and was ready to change sides? All of these things showed to Hermione that he wasn't some evil, Death Eater git. They also meant that as mad as she was, when she finally met him at the Room of Requirement again, she had to convince him that she wasn't ever going to leave him.

They had had a long conversation about their feelings for each other and Hermione felt optimistic about their future together. Yes, they had a war to get through. A war where they were on opposite sides, but she knew they could get through it together. And she was going to fight for Draco and their relationship. Whatever it took, Hermione was going to bring him out the other side with her. When Hermione thought of her boys, now she wasn't just thinking of Harry and Ron, she included Draco. He was one of hers and she was never going to give him up or let him down.

This was why she was working so hard with him on their plan. The start of the plan was to approach Remus. Hermione hadn't told Draco that Remus was charged by the Order to infiltrate the packs in Britain, but Draco knew he was a werewolf, and another pup of Greyback's. And that Remus hated Greyback.

This meant Draco and Remus had a common enemy, and Hermione was hoping that together, they could take down Greyback to overthrow the pack. She knew that Remus would rather die than take the Dark Mark, so that was the wrinkle they were going to have to discuss. How would he join the pack and become Draco's Beta without also getting branded with the Dark Mark like Draco had? They'd have to wait for their discussion with Remus to answer that question.

Once Remus was infiltrated into the pack, Draco would take down Greyback in an impromptu Alpha Ceremony. Draco knew he could count of Seff and Rand for their support. He was hoping he would be able to count on Mingan's help as well. Four out of nineteen wasn't great odds, but Draco was Beta and Rand held a surprising amount of weight with the pack. And Draco did have another card up his sleeve. He could always show the pack how much Fenrir enjoyed being a Death Eater.

Finally, once Fenrir was taken down, Draco would work with the pack to undermine the Death Eater's organization as a whole. Spreading information back to the Order, messing up missions, and causing general chaos and mayhem. This could cost Draco in the eyes of Voldemort, but both Hermione and Draco thought it was worth the risk. The endgame wasn't winning the war, the endgame was winning the war and coming out of the other side with a life to live. Draco wouldn't have a life to live if his whole pack was either slaughtered or locked up in Azkaban.

And with Remus and Tonks as their liaisons to the Order, hopefully after the war ended there wouldn't be a lengthy trial process for Draco and the pack. They were hoping it would quickly come to light that the pack had been undermining Voldemort and the Death Eaters most of the time. That was the hope anyway, and Hermione was sure they could do it. Before they could do any of it, they had to get Remus and Tonks on board.

Hermione hummed to herself as she pulled her messy nest of hair into a bun at the back of her head, shoving her wand into it for storage. She quickly pulled on her trainers, and threw a school robe over her more casual muggle clothes before heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast. It was finally Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade weekend and Hermione was as excited as she was nervous.

As she ate, she browsed the Daily Prophet, noting the small news articles that indicated that Voldemort had truly taken over the Ministry. Harry plopped down beside her, giving her a gentle nudge with his shoulder. She looked up at him and offered a small smile and then looked to see what he was nodding at. Further down the table, Ron and Lavender were engaged in a liplock so heated that Hermione was a bit surprised that they weren't sending off sparks.

"Isn't it a bit early for that?" Hermione asked, her lip curled in distaste. She didn't begrudge her friend his happiness, but she didn't need to see him trying to sneak his hands up his girlfriend's shirt at the breakfast table either.

"Mmm," Harry muttered, "you didn't have to cast a _Silencio_ at his bed curtains in the middle of the night."

Hermione shuddered at the thought, glad that the girls dorms weren't accessible by the boys and she didn't have to deal with that.

"Ready to see Remus and Tonks?" Hermione asked after Harry had finished his breakfast.

"Sure, is the Ferret walking down with us?" Harry asked quietly.

"Don't call him that!" Hermione snapped. "And no, he plans to meet us at the back entrance to Madam Puddifoot's. They apparently have private rooms above, and he's reserved one for the five of us."

Harry nodded thoughtfully, "How does he know that?" He waggled his eyebrows at Hermione.

"It doesn't matter," Hermione replied primly and swept by Harry. She could hear him chuckle at her expense as he followed her out of the Great Hall.

The walk to Hogsmeade was uneventful. They were early for their meeting with Remus and Tonks, so they decided to go to Honeydukes first and then to Three Broomsticks. When Hermione and Harry were finally finished browsing all of Honeydukes' sweets selection, they went to the Three Broomsticks to find Remus and Tonks standing outside.

"Let's walk for a bit," Hermione said after each of them exchanged greetings. The group started off on a slow stroll heading in the direction of Madam Puddifoot's.

"I wasn't entirely forthcoming when I asked for this meeting," Hermione began. She blushed when she saw Remus looking at her with a raised eyebrow. It was a very professorial look.

"There's someone else meeting us. We've secured a private room at Madam Puddifoot's," she told Remus and Tonks.

"Not Ron?" Tonks asked and Harry shook his head no.

"Not Ron," Harry confirmed. "Ron's playing tonsil quidditch with Lavender Brown at the moment. He might be at Madam Puddifoot's, but it's not to meet with us. In fact, he doesn't know anything about this meeting. And if he did, he would flip his lid."

That comment made Remus' brow rise even higher and Hermione picked up her pace.

When they reached the infamous tea shop at the end of the High street in Hogsmeade, Hermione glanced around and directed them all down the alley that ran between it and the small apothecary next door. Behind the tea shop, Draco stood leaning casually against the back wall. Had Hermione not known him so well, she would have assumed he was lounging about, but she could see the lines of tension in his shoulders, and that his hand was in his wand pocket.

Remus inhaled sharply when he got a scent of Draco and Hermione was proud of herself that she was able to keep herself from flinching at the sound. She greeted Draco with a small smile and went to stand next to him. She took his non-wand hand in hers as she turned to face the rest of the group.

"This makes sense," Remus muttered. Hermione looked at him with a question in her eyes.

"Later, let's get upstairs," Remus said as he pulled open the back door and gestured to the group. Hermione and Draco led the way up the narrow, wooden stairs that greeted them when they opened the door. Once in the dark upstairs hallway, Draco turned left, pulling Hermione along and they entered the room with a number six on the door.

Hermione was greeted with a round table, with a hideous floral tablecloth. There was a small stove in the corner, keeping the teapot warm, and five mismatched chairs circled the table. The teacups that graced each spot did match, but unfortunately they matched the ugly table linens. Once all five of them were inside and the door was shut, Hermione turned and began casting privacy and warding charms at the door, walls, floor, and ceiling. She received another raised eyebrow from Remus at her thoroughness.

"You can never be too careful," she murmured as she took a spot at the table next to Draco. He pulled her chair closer to his, so he could place his arm around her shoulders. She rolled her eyes at his machismo show in front of the other werewolf.

"What makes sense?" Tonks asked once they were all seated and the teapot had been levitated to the table.

"Hermione smells different," Remus replied. Draco let out a low growl, apparently at the thought of another werewolf smelling his mate.

Tonks raised her own eyebrow at her cousin's antics. So far she had kept her mouth shut about the display Draco and Hermione were putting on, which Hermione was grateful for.

"She's his mate," Remus stated flatly, keeping his face neutral.

"He's a werewolf?!" Tonks exclaimed in shock.

"Apparently," Remus replied.

Up to this point, Harry had been silent, "Why don't you tell them why we're here, Malfoy?" His tone was just on the polite side of snide.

Draco glared at Harry and tightened his arm around Hermione. Hermione rolled her eyes at all of the posturing going on in the room.

"There is a valid reason for the privacy wards. Tonks, Remus, we want to share a confidence with you. And we want your help with the rest of the Order," Hermione said.

"I haven't told Draco anything confidential about the Order," Hermione stated in reply to the outburst she could see written on both Tonks' and Harry's faces.

"Well, I already know he's a werewolf. I assume Greyback bit him," Remus said, spitting out Greyback's name.

Draco nodded in response, but said nothing else. Hermione looked up at his set jaw and sighed to herself. It seemed she was going to have to do all the talking.

"Greyback bit him over the summer. It was Draco's punishment for his father's failure at the Ministry back in May." Tonks let out a gasp at the idea that Draco was punished for his father's crimes. Hermione continued, "a few weeks ago, Draco returned home for a week. He's Greyback's Beta." Another raised eyebrow from Remus, but this time there was a look of consideration and maybe even approval. "Draco was then made to attend a revel where he received the Dark Mark and then watched Greyback rape, torture, and kill a muggle woman. Later that evening, You-Know-Who ordered Greyback to murder Lucius Malfoy."

"Lucius Malfoy is dead?" Tonks confirmed. Draco nodded sharply.

"I'm sorry, cousin," Tonks replied with real regret in her voice. Tonks was sitting on the other side of Draco, and she reached out to touch his hand in comfort. That lifted Hermione's heart. She wasn't sure whether they could count on Tonks as a family connection, but it appeared they could. Draco nodded again, closing his eyes as he did as if bracing his emotions.

"That's a lot to take in," Remus replied. "What are you wanting from us?"

"As you've already discerned, I'm Draco's mate. His bonded mate," Tonks smirked at her, but Hermione ignored it as she went on. "Draco doesn't want to be a Death Eater, and he certainly doesn't want to be Beta to his father's murderer…"

"Why don't we hear the ferret tell us that," Harry snapped at Draco with narrowed eyes. Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed at Harry's antics.

"Potter, I know it's hard for your tiny, pea-sized brain to comprehend, but I do not want to go around murdering people for a living. It seems to be a poor proposition all around," Draco sneered at Harry, looking down his nose at him. "Besides, it's not like I can care much about blood, being a werewolf and all," he finished dryly. Hermione looked up at him and squeezed his thigh under the table. He had such a tough few months and she was so proud of him that he genuinely wanted to be better than his father, to be a better person.

"As I was saying," Hermione went on, "what I propose will reveal some Order secrets to Draco should I go on, the ones involving you Remus. I hope you will agree to help us, in return Draco will help the Order. But I won't reveal anything to him that you don't want me to."

Remus sat back and thought for a moment before he replied, "What you know about my Order work is fine to share with him."

Hermione nodded and offered Remus a small smile in thanks. She turned to Draco, "Remus has been charged with infiltrating the other werewolf packs in Britain and convincing them to support the Order and not You-Know-Who. He has been unable to infiltrate the largest pack in Britain."

"Mine," Draco replied.

Hermione and Remus both nodded in agreement.

"Your plan makes so much more sense now, Granger," Draco smirked down at her, squeezing her around the shoulders. She returned the expression.

She turned to the rest of the group, "The plan is that Remus, with Draco's assistance, joins Greyback's pack. Since Remus isn't hampered by school, he can gather support within the pack. Draco can give him guidance on which wolves would be most receptive. Once Remus is firmly embedded in the pack, Draco challenges Greyback as Alpha. This of course, hinges on Draco's ability to beat Greyback, but he thinks with a few more months of training, that won't be a problem."

"It's a solid plan," Remus replied, clearly deep in thought. "It would help the Order immensely to not only have Greyback's pack, but to take out Greyback in general. You understand what it takes to beat the Alpha of a current pack?"

"I will kill him with pleasure," Draco responded coldly.

"You have to kill him?" Harry asked.

"Did you not write Remus like I suggested?" Hermione snapped. At Harry's dull blush she inferred he did not.

"Remus, Harry knows nothing about werewolves and insults me or Draco every time he brings it up. Could you take it on yourself to educate him later today?" Hermione asked with a sweet voice.

Remus chuckled in response, "Of course. Harry, what do you think of all this?"

"I think that Malfoy has an ulterior motive," he glared at the other boy's sneer. "I don't believe him that he's Beta and until you confirmed it, I was skeptical that Hermione was his mate. I still don't like that."

Remus chuckled again, "First lesson in werewolves Harry, the bigger they are, the higher they rank. Draco meets my height and has me outweighed by four stone at least. That tells me he's at least Beta, if not Alpha of his own pack, and that's just by sight. His smell confirms it.

"Second lesson, the reason I thought Hermione smelled differently is that she has been claimed and bonded by another werewolf, a werewolf who is more dominate than I am," Remus told Harry. Harry looked like he was about to protest, but Tonks silenced him with a look and a pinch to his arm.

"What is your plan after Greyback is taken care of? From what I can gather, the pack is living on Malfoy grounds," Tonks asked.

"They are living in our dueling court. There won't be a way to extricate the pack from the Dark Lord. We'll have to work from within the Death Eater organization to pass information, sabotage raids, and cause general mayhem and chaos. Right now, the pack is kept largely separate from the Death Eaters. That is at Greyback's behest. He doesn't want the pack to know how depraved he is, and he's right about that. If the pack knew how much he enjoyed a revel, they would turn on him. It's my quaffle in the hoop for when we overthrow him," Draco told the group.

"Our hope is that you'll become Draco's Beta," Hermione told Remus.

Remus nodded in reply, "That makes sense. Once you are Alpha, you'll need to solidify your power base. Who else in the pack do you have?"

"The Omega for sure, and probably Rand. He should have been Beta, but had no interest in the position," Draco replied.

"The Omega? That's good, a lot of new wolves don't properly value the Omega. I know Rand, he's a good wolf. Those are good allies, but at my last count there were almost 20 werewolves in that pack," Remus was thoughtful as he worked on the numbers.

Draco nodded his confirmation, "There are 20 wolves, once you join there will be 21 and I'll only have four of them for sure. That's where you come in. I'm not there to woo anyone else in the pack. I only had a couple of months this summer to spend with them."

Remus nodded.

"So, Remus joins the pack, gathers support. Draco overthrows Greyback. Remus becomes Beta, then what?" Tonks asked, quickly summing up the plan so far.

"We need to make the pack more useful to the Dark Lord. Greyback keeps them separate and I don't want any of them to take the Dark Mark. But as soon as I became Beta, the Dark Lord demanded it of me. I'm worried that he would demand it of Remus as well. That's a wand in the cauldron that will have to be dealt with. I'm assuming you don't want to take the Dark Mark?" Draco asked Remus dryly.

"I would if it meant defeating Volde-" Draco hissed in warning. "You-Know-Who," Remus corrected. "I want him gone as much as the next person."

"Well, that brings us to endgame," Hermione said.

"Planning the endgame already, 'Mione?" Tonks teased.

"The endgame isn't to defeat You-Know-Who, the endgame is to defeat You-Know-Who and come out alive and with a life to live. It's no use winning if you are both thrown in Azkaban for having Dark Marks. Personally, if we can keep Remus from getting a Dark Mark, his and Tonks' influence on the Order could help in keeping Draco and the rest of the pack from Azkaban or worse."

"You really are the brightest witch of your age, aren't you?" Remus asked with amusement. "Here we are talking about next steps, and you are plotting ten steps ahead of the rest of us."

Hermione blushed at his praise, and Draco dropped a kiss down onto the top of her head. She warmed at the show of affection, but didn't miss Harry's eye-roll. That boy had another lecture coming, Hermione was planning it now.

"Well, Remus? What are your thoughts? I'm guessing you'll need to take this plan to the rest of the Order for approval? When I said I haven't told Draco anything, I meant it," Hermione was trying to hint meaningfully, that while Draco didn't know about Snape, she would like to tell him.

"I think it's a solid plan, and I think the Order will too. Incidentally, we're meeting later this weekend. So I'll write you when I've run it by them. This means we'll probably have to induct you three," Remus said thoughtfully.

Harry perked up at that, "Really? You'd induct us even though we're still students?"

"You and Potter aren't even in the Order?" Draco asked, grinning down at her.

Hermione felt her face warm in slight embarrassment, "Not yet, Mrs. Weasley keeps vetoing our joining. But I figured with a project this large, they would have to. The trick will be to keep Ron out of it."

Harry nodded in agreement at that. Hermione and Harry had numerous discussions about Ron over the last few weeks, and the only thing they were in agreement on was that Ron could know nothing of their plans with Draco.

"If the Order does accept your plan, how do you expect to get me to infiltrate the pack?" Remus asked Draco.

"Draco changes each month in the Shrieking Shack, usually Greyback, the Omega, and a couple of other wolves come up to change with him. We figured you would join them on your next full moon. Saying Professor Snape tipped you off and that you'd like to join Greyback's pack," Hermione explained.

"I see," Remus replied, clearly disconcerted by the idea of begging Greyback for anything.

"I know you are going to have to beseech Greyback, but I don't think Draco will be able to take over the pack without you. And if he can't take over the pack, then his life - and by extension my life - become much, much more dangerous," Hermione pleaded with Remus. She knew the whole plan was a big ask of Remus, but she hoped that he was committed to fighting Voldemort enough that he would agree.

"I hate the idea of playing nice to Greyback, but I can see the value in the plan. As I said earlier, I will do what I have to do in order to defeat Vo- er, You-Know-Who," Remus replied.

"Full moon is in a week," Draco commented.

Remus nodded in response as he stood and helped Tonks out of her chair. He held his hand out to Draco. Draco looked at it, before standing and taking it. He pulled Remus forward into a hug, clapping his back once before releasing him.

"If you do this for me, I will be indebted to you," Draco told Remus. Remus nodded in response and looked to Hermione to remove the wards. She did, and Remus and Tonks took their leave after their goodbyes to Harry and Hermione. Harry also left soon after, mentioning how he wanted to go to Quality Quidditch Supplies for broom polish.

Hermione and Draco were alone in the private room. Draco flicked his wand at the door, closing and locking it and adding a silencing charm.

"I have this room booked for another couple of hours, Granger," Draco smirked down at her as he tugged on a curl. She dimpled up at him.

"What are we going to do? I brought my Charms…" she didn't get to finish because Draco pulled her bodily to him and engulfed her lips with his own. She moaned into the kiss and he deepened it by sliding his tongue into her mouth. His hands on her hips, pulled her tighter to him so she could feel his erection. She slid her own hands up his arms to his shoulders and around his neck, pulling him closer to her. They were standing so close, their chests were mashed together and Hermione could feel the heat pouring off him.

She wanted to feel skin against her hands, so she slipped her hands down his chest to tug his shirt from his pants and began unbuttoning it from the bottom. Each portion of new skin she exposed, she glided her hands across. He gasped when she reached his flat nipples and she took advantage of him pulling back to slide his shirt off his shoulders completely.

"Miss Granger, are you seducing me?" He asked her, comparing their different states of dress, even as he pushed her against the wall and ground his pelvis into her.

"Is that what you call this?" Hermione asked as she reached for his belt buckle. She moaned and lost her concentration when he kissed his way down her neck to renew the love bite he kept leaving where her shoulder and neck met. He'd been renewing that love bite since long before they had bonded. It was like he was leaving it as his show of possession, since he couldn't flaunt around her actual bond mark.

Hermione's shirt soon joined Draco's on the floor and her bra followed shortly after. They were both panting hard when Draco lifted her against the wall, pushing her against it, her center aligned over his cock.

"Gods, Granger," he panted into her neck as he fondled her breasts. "The things you do to me…"

Hermione moaned in response and tightened her legs around his hips, pressing his cock even tighter against her. She pulled her wand from the bun on her head and silently cast a divesting spell. Draco's gasp at suddenly being naked, with his cock stuffed between her pussy lips.

"That is a handy little spell, Hermione," he murmured as he rubbed his erection along her slit, hitting her nub with the head of his penis.

"My own," she replied, gasping at the sensations he was causing in her. Draco growled in approval before reaching a hand down to ensure she was wet enough, and then impaled her on his member. Hermione cried out at the intrusion and her walls clenched down on him. He groaned at the pleasure she was causing him as he slowly pulled out and pumped back in.

"You….bloody brilliant….fucking amazing….gorgeous witch….you are mine," he growled into her neck between pants. He had a hand gripping her hip so tightly, she was sure she'd have bruises. She didn't care, every thrust was hitting that soft, spongy spot at the front of her walls and dragging a small yelp out of her. The tension coiled tighter and tighter in her belly as he pounded her into the wall.

"Say it, Granger. Tell me," he insisted as he began to lose control.

"I'm yours, Draco," she panted at him, feeling her orgasm take over. She cried out his name as she fell off the cliff into oblivion.

"Mine," Draco growled into her ear as he reached his own orgasm, spurting deep inside her. Hermione nodded her agreement.

Hermione's breath slowly returned to normal and Draco gently let her down. They both slid down the wall to sit on the floor with their backs against the wall. A comfortable silence settled over them and Hermione had her head pillowed onto Draco's shoulder.

"Yours," she said. "Yours as long as you are mine."

"Always," he replied.

* * *

 **A/N: All the beta love goes to brownlark42, she's like climbing into a bed with sheets fresh from the dryer. And you guys! Over 300 reviews and almost 400 follows! I am blown away! I think I have the rest of the story mapped out and I would say we're almost to the halfway point. I can't wait to hear what you think of this chapter! As usual, I post a collage of every chapter on my tumblr, follow me at crochetawayhpff. All my love!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: All of the beta love goes to brownlark42. She's like the smell of freshly cut grass.**

* * *

The day after the Hogsmeade meeting, Draco knocked on the Slytherin Head of House's office door. He had received a terse note at breakfast, asking Draco to stop by. He wondered what Snape wanted. It wasn't often that he was called to his Head of House's office, unless he had been into some trouble. Draco thought back over the week - he didn't think he was in trouble for anything.

"Come in, Draco," Snape drawled as his office door popped open. Draco entered the office and noted it was the same as always. The same disgusting pickled potions ingredients lining the walls and the same gloomy lighting. Snape was sitting at his desk - there was nothing on top of it but a thick book. His hands were steepled in front of him and his elbows were resting on the desk. Snape also looked the same as always, lank black hair curtained his face. His skin was sallow and pale, and his hooked nose dominated his facial features.

"Sit," Snape hissed, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. Draco slipped into it and sat ramrod straight, awaiting his Head of House to speak.

"How is your task coming along?" Snape asked, quirking an eyebrow. Draco sighed and closed his eyes. He hadn't thought about either of his tasks in the last few weeks he'd spent plotting with Hermione. He couldn't tell Snape anything about that. Draco was thankful once again for being a werewolf and immune to Legilimency. Snape's prowess in Legilimency was legendary among the Death Eaters.

"Which one?" Draco hedged, opening his eyes to see that his professor had pushed the book closer to him.

"Greyback's," Snape replied, gesturing to the book. Draco picked it up and read the title Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes by Eldon Thaddeus Fleming. He quirked his own eyebrow at Snape.

"It should help with the cabinet you are attempting to restore," Snape snapped. When Draco didn't respond, he went on. "Use your head boy, don't make me spell it out for you."

Draco nodded in response. As much as he wanted to trust Snape, he knew that he couldn't. Not with the most important things, like how he was planning to betray the Dark Lord. Snape couldn't know anything about that. But Snape was helping Draco. He was visiting Draco's mother, which eased Draco's heart more than he had imagined possible. Thinking about that made Draco trust Snape, a little bit. Enough to accept the book and actually want to read it.

"Anything else?" Draco asked. He was in a hurry to get to the Room of Hidden Things and read through what the book had on vanishing cabinets. Snape dismissed him with a flick of his hand and Draco rushed up to the seventh floor of the castle.

Upon reaching the Room of Hidden Things, Draco sat next to the vanishing cabinet and flipped through the book. It was written in runes. Of course it was. He flipped to the index and dug his Ancient Runes textbook out of his bag and began translating. It was long and painstaking work, but he finally had the index translated an hour later. Nothing in the index said anything about vanishing cabinets. _What a dud,_ Draco thought to himself as he tossed the book aside. He had been sitting with his back to the cabinet and banged his head backward a couple of times. _What am I going to do? How am I going to fix this damned cabinet?_

The door to the room banged open. Draco was grateful he was sitting on the floor and out of eyesight of the front of the room. He quietly began packing up his books, when Hermione rounded the corner. She was beautiful. It took his breath away every time he saw her again.

"Oh, thank gods, it's you," he said as he stood and wrapped his arms around her in a hug.

"I'm glad I found you here," she replied returning his hug. As she stepped away, she kicked the book Snape had given him.

"Oh no!" she cried out and bent down to pick it up. She read the cover and then flipped through it, her shoulders sagging at seeing it was written in runes.

"Shoot," she muttered. "It'll still be helpful, but it'll be a pain to translate it all." She looked up at him with a smile.

"What do you mean? I translated the index and it didn't say anything about vanishing cabinets," Draco told her. He handed her the bit of parchment he had used during his translation.

"Well it wouldn't, would it?" she asked as she looked over the parchment. She grabbed a self-inking quill she had shoved in her messy bun at the back of her head and began placing a small star next to various lines of his translated index.

"Granger, explain," Draco said, losing patience with her.

She looked up at him, startled by the tone. "Oh, sorry, umm, it says right here," she pointed to a line on his translation parchment, it read 'linking charms page 293'. And she pointed to another and another they were all linking charms, movement through space spells, and disappearing charms.

"I am an idiot," Draco stated drily. How could he have overlooked what she was pointing out? She smiled up at him.

"You have a lot on your mind. Let me help you," she said as she ran a hand down his arm and linking their fingers together. He nodded but was internally kicking himself. He was as smart as she was, how could he not have seen what she had seen immediately?

"Seriously, Draco. It's all right. I am here to help you," Hermione told him.

"How can you want to help me get Death Eaters into Hogwarts?" he asked her. His tone and expression petulant, even though he tried to keep it civil. It was still a shock to him that she had accepted his tasks. She accepted them and then decided what needed to be done next.

"I don't want to help you get Death Eaters into Hogwarts. But it's what you've been tasked with, so I will help you. It's not the task itself, it's you, Draco," Hermione explained. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "It's you I want to help, Draco. I love you."

Draco's mind went blank when she confessed her love for him. _She loves me. She loves me._ He almost had a hard time believing it, but not one to look a gift pegasus in the mouth he swooped down and gave her a heated kiss. Pouring each of his emotions into it. He loved her too. He hadn't said it yet, had no plans to say it, but hearing it out of her mouth had set his heart free.

Hermione broke the kiss after a few moments. She looked up at him and he felt lost in her whiskey-colored eyes.

"Let's work on the translations," she said as she backed away with a smile. Draco nodded. They were both top of their class in Ancient Runes. Working together, they would get the necessary pages of the book translated in no time. Draco made a quick copy of the index using the _Gemino_ charm and handed it to her. She flipped to the first spell she had starred and copied the pages. Then handed the book back to Draco who went to the next spell and did the same thing. They sat together in a companionable silence throughout the rest of their free period. By the end of it, each of them had translated three of the spells. That meant there were only fifteen more spells to translate. There were hundreds of spells in the book, but the twenty-one Hermione had picked out seemed like they would be most useful for the vanishing cabinet. It was good progress for an hours worth of work.

* * *

The following day found Draco standing in front of the teller's desk at Gringotts with his mother beside him. He had received a missive from Gringotts to present himself to have all the Malfoy family vaults and accounts transferred over to his name and keyed to his wand and handprint. He had been expecting it, but standing here in front of Brodkit, the mean goblin who always handled his family's vault, Draco felt angry. Angry that he had to do this. Angry that he was missing Defense Against the Dark Arts, one of the few classes he shared with Hermione. And angry that at sixteen, he had to gain full control over his family's complicated financial concerns.

Brodkit handled Draco's wand deftly and with reverence, which Draco appreciated. He hadn't wanted to take the time to go down to the main vault, but it was required for the handprint identification. Draco sighed as he escorted his mother behind Brodkit to the carts at the back of the bank lobby.

Once they were settled inside, the cart took off at a breakneck speed heading straight down. The ride seemed to take forever. The Malfoy vaults were some of the oldest in the bank, so they were the furthest down. Draco didn't quite understand how it worked. From what he did understand, the goblins pushed the earth downward to make room for newer vaults at the top as needed. It was a complicated bit of magic that Draco had been interested in when he had first learned of it as a child. His father had put a quash to the conversation Draco had started with Brodkit about it. Draco sighed at the memory.

They finally reached the main Malfoy vault, a place Draco had only been a handful of times. He didn't get to visit Gringotts often, and when he did, he usually only went to the heir's vault a few levels above the main vault. Brodkit hopped out of the cart and led the way to the vault door. There were only a few vaults on this level; they each ringed a large open space that held an honest-to-the-gods white, mostly blind, dragon. As a child, Draco had been fascinated and thrilled when he got to come to the main vault and see the dragon. As he grew older, he felt sad every time he thought of this dragon. Dragons were wild and fierce, but this dragon seemed sad and frightened.

Approaching the door, Brodkit performed some bit of goblin magic and had Draco put both palms on the door. Another spell was muttered by the creature, and Draco's handprints were recorded as Head of House Malfoy. They entered the vault ,and Draco's mother went to the wives section. She was no longer considered a wife of the House Malfoy. She was a widow and had her own widow's vault several levels above the heir's vault. She placed a few pieces of her jewelry in the wives section and then beckoned Draco over.

"Do you think you should pick something for Miss Granger's Yule gift?" Mother asked as she gestured at the jewelry in front of her. Draco was taken aback at the offer.

"No! Mother, this stuff is all yours and will be for a long time!" Draco told her.

His mother looked at him with sad eyes, "It's yours now Draco. To do with what you wish. If you wish me to have access to it for a while longer, I will gladly accept. But I have no plans on imposing on your future wife."

"I - I mean, I hadn't thought that far…" Draco trailed off. Hermione was his mate. He loved her, he had to protect her, and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But wife? That thought hadn't crossed his mind.

"Not yet, Draco. You are only sixteen, but Mr. Greyback has told me of mates," she reached up a hand and cupped his face. "I want you to be happy, my little dragon."

She hadn't called him that in years. It's what she called him when he was a little boy. He wrapped his arms around her and despite how much bigger he was than her these days. She held him while he cried.

* * *

 _Pup,_

 _Meet me in at the Shrieking Shack at dusk. We have some things to discuss._

 _Alpha Greyback_

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck,_ Draco thought reading the missive from his Alpha again. He crumpled it in his hand. It was the middle of the week and the full moon would be the following Monday. They hadn't heard from Lupin yet, and Draco didn't feel ready to face Greyback. He could still hear Greyback crying out the _Avada Kedavra_ at his father. And then hear his father's body hit the ground. He shuddered at the thought. He was having nightmares over it and had taken to sleeping on the couch in the Come and Go Room. He hadn't told Hermione about any of that. She didn't need another reason to worry about him. Or another thing to try and fix for him. She was doing enough. Probably too much. He should work on shielding her from some of his burdens. She was his mate and he loved her and he had to protect her.

It had already been dinner time when he received the owl from Greyback. He slipped into the dungeons to grab his cloak and slip outside before curfew came at 9 o'clock. He sneaked out the front doors and walked along the castle walls until he was in front of the Whomping Willow. The tree swung wildly in an unseen breeze and when an owl got to close, it reached a branch out and swatted at it. The owl hooted and flew off away from the tree. Draco sent a silent _Immobulus_ to the tree and watched as all the branches came to a shuddering halt. He ran forward and hit the knot at the base of the tree to open the trapdoor. He slid inside the tunnel and released his _Immobulus_ once he was in the tunnel.

He took his time walking through to the shack, working on keeping himself calm. He spoke with Reule in his mind. He told him that Greyback was still his Alpha. He would remain his Alpha for the time being, regardless of how angry and upset he was, it wasn't time to show his hand. He was pretty sure Reule was listening. At least that was his hope.

When he reached the trap door at the other end of the tunnel, he paused underneath of it and used his wolf senses to see if he could hear or feel anyone on the other side. He didn't want to use magic and give himself away. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He turned his head so one ear canted up toward the trap door. There, a scuff from a shoe. He sniffed as quietly as he could; he was only getting tunnel dirt, dust and wood from the house above him, and werewolf. Which werewolf? Greyback. Draco shook himself from the slight trance he had been in and pushed the trap door open. He gripped the floor and hauled himself out of the tunnel and kicked the trapdoor shut behind him. Greyback was standing, facing away from him, toward the broken fireplace on the other side of the room. On the mantle were two glasses and a bottle of firewhisky.

"Pup," Greyback said, his voice welcoming as he turned to face Draco. He opened his arms, expecting Draco to hug him.

Draco stood where he was, he did incline his head in respect, "Alpha."

Greyback's face fell and he dropped his arms. He ran a hand over his dreadlocks and turned back around. Greyback opened the bottle of firewhisky and poured a healthy amount into both glasses. He turned and handed one to Draco. Draco took it but didn't sip from it. Not until Greyback took a sip first, with a roll of his eyes. Draco thought it was smart not to trust the man. Once Greyback had taken several sips and nothing happened, Draco took his first sip of the liquor. It burned his throat, but tasted good and warmed his belly.

"Listen, pup, I hope you realize there was nothing I could have done," Greyback started, but he wasn't looking at Draco. He had turned back toward the fireplace and spoke to Draco over his shoulder.

"I understand," Draco said, his voice formal and cold.

"I don't think you do," Greyback replied as he turned back to face him.

"I'm branded with the same mark as you, Alpha," Draco said. "I understand that the needs of our Lord come before the needs of our pack."

Greyback inhaled sharply at that. Draco knew that wasn't Greyback's philosophy. Or at least that was the philosophy Greyback had been trying to feed Draco. Greyback had told Draco that he was playing along with the Dark Lord until he could get what he wanted. He'd said that the pack came first; it always came first. Now Greyback wasn't going to be sure where Draco's loyalty lay. Was it with the pack? Or the Dark Lord?

Draco's loyalty lay with Hermione. She was his mate, and she would always have his first loyalty. Second was his mother, then his pack, then the Order. He had no loyalty to the Dark Lord. But what better way to put Greyback on wrong footing than to make him think that Draco was truly a Death Eater?

"Yes, as you say," Greyback replied slowly. He looked to be thinking hard and was casting an appraising eye over Draco. It looked like he was seeing Draco in a new light and didn't like what he saw.

"Then all is forgiven?" Greyback tried. If Draco was truly a Death Eater, he would follow the Dark Lord's command regardless of his personal feelings on the matter.

"Of course, Alpha. As you said, you had no choice. Our Lord gave you an order and you followed it," Draco bowed slightly in Greyback's direction. He had his pure-blood mask and manners on.

"Great," Greyback replied and downed the rest of his drink. He gave himself a refill and then nodded at Draco. Draco shook his head. He needed to keep a clear mind if he was going to manipulate his Alpha in the way that would make Hermione's plans work.

"Let's discuss Beta duties," Draco suggested. There was a set of worn table and chairs shoved into the corner of the room. Draco levitated them up and over to between where he and Greyback were standing. He made his way over to the chair closest to him and sat down. Greyback grabbed the firewhisky bottle and joined him at the table.

"Yes, let's," Greyback agreed once he sat down. Greyback asked Draco how he was coming along with getting the vanishing cabinet to work. Draco relayed as much detail as he dared, while imparting that it wasn't anywhere near ready yet.

Then Greyback began explaining to Draco that he wouldn't be able to take on most of the traditional Beta duties, being so far away from the pack at school. That said, he did have other duties he wanted Draco to take on. These duties required financial persuasion, and with Draco now the richest wizard in Britain, he was ideal for the job.

Greyback wanted Draco to bring lone werewolves out of the woodwork and either have them join Greyback's pack or their own packs, below Greyback. Greyback wanted to be Chief Alpha of all European werewolf packs. There hadn't been one 400 years. The way to become Chief Alpha was to have the largest pack and have other packs pledge fealty to him. This was what Greyback had pitched to the Dark Lord that he could bring to the table and it was time Greyback started following through.

"I've already grown my pack in the last year by about half," Greyback told Draco. "Packs can't get much bigger than 25 or 30 werewolves, it's hard to sustain. We'll have to start forming smaller packs. Packs that have their own Alphas and Betas, but swear fealty to us."

"That makes sense," Draco replied. This would work perfectly with Lupin wanting to join the pack at the next full moon. "How do you plan for me to begin finding and recruiting these lone werewolves?"

"Two ways actually," Greyback told him. "First, there's the werewolf registry the Ministry keeps. Get your hands on a copy of that. Second, here," Greyback shoved a piece of parchment across the table to Draco. It was grubby and looked like it had been in Greyback's pocket for some time. When he unfolded it he found a list of hundreds of names. Draco looked up at Greyback in confusion.

"As many of the people that I know that I bit," Greyback told him. There wasn't even a hint of remorse in his voice or on his face. Another reminder to Draco that Greyback was a monster. Draco might be resigned to being a werewolf because he was caught in a punishment he didn't deserve by family circumstances. But that didn't mean that he wanted to be a werewolf. If he could go back in time and not get bitten? He would do it in a heartbeat. He just nodded in reply to Greyback and looked back at the list.

"Don't know how up to date it is, might not even all be alive or in Britain anymore. But cross-reference with the werewolf registry and you should be able to come up with some addresses. I'd start with a letter. Maybe hold a meeting or two during your next Hogsmeade weekend," Greyback said. He went on to give Draco tips and pointers on how to coax and cajole these lone werewolves to want to join a pack. Greyback told him he would have to play to his audience. If they seemed like werewolves who wanted Wolfsbane, then promise them that. If they seemed like werewolves who wanted a parcel of land and plenty of running space on full moons, then promise them that. Whatever they seemed to need, use that to convince them, no matter what it was.

Draco absorbed Greyback's lessons. He may hate the man, and despise everything he was trying to do, but he was still his Alpha. And he had been a werewolf for a lot longer than Draco had been. He knew he could learn something from him. Draco had been raised in a world of politics and intrigue. He took the lessons from his father and his mother and applied them here. Don't think about your disgust; think about how much use he will be in getting what you want. The more Draco knew, the better off he would be once he became Alpha.

This Chief Alpha business was worrisome. Draco did not want to be Chief Alpha. He didn't even really want to be Alpha. The only reason he was doing that was so that he could give the Order the best possible use of the pack. What would happen if Draco was successful in forming these smaller packs who swore fealty to Greyback? Was it just Greyback they were swearing fealty to? Or was it the pack in general? What would happen when Greyback was overthrown? Draco didn't know the answer to any of these questions. And he didn't think Lupin would know either. The only person who might know was Mingan. But Mingan was pack now. Would he answer these questions for Draco? Or were they too close to treason? Would Mingan's loyalty to Greyback supersede the grandfatherly role he had taken to Draco?

Greyback was looking at him expectantly. He must have asked a question and Draco had been too busy worrying.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Draco replied, hoping Greyback would repeat himself.

"I asked if you had any questions pup?" Greyback asked as he refilled his glass for the fourth time.

"Nothing pressing," Draco replied, and he downed the rest of his firewhisky.

* * *

 **A/N: You can find manips on my tumblr crochetawayhpff. Thoughts?**


	22. Chapter 22

Fenrir Greyback was worried. The Dark Lord had manipulated him and he had been forced to kill his Beta's father. Fenrir was not used to worrying. He hadn't ever needed to worry about anything since his mate had died all of those years ago. He was worried about his Beta, his pack, and his place with the Dark Lord.

His Beta was proving extremely worrisome. Fenrir had met with Draco last week and Draco had shown complete loyalty to the Dark Lord and the Dark Lord's cause. Prior to Draco taking the Dark Mark, Fenrir had been sure that Draco would be most loyal to the pack.

Fenrir didn't know what to think about the fact that his Beta was suddenly a Dark Lord loyalist. He wasn't pleased. Fenrir's long-game had never been to support the Dark Lord. He was using the Dark Lord to get what he wanted: to first consolidate the werewolves and packs of Britain, then to create a collective that spanned all of Europe. That's what Fenrir wanted: power over the werewolves. The rest of magical Europe could go hang as far as he was concerned.

Fenrir had been pacing the dueling court. The full moon was coming up tomorrow, and he had plans to spend it with his Beta as usual. For all he was worried and unhappy with his Beta, Draco was still just a pup. Both in human and werewolf terms. He wasn't even of age, and both Fenrir and the Dark Lord were placing heavy burdens on him. He needed to win back Draco's trust and affection, but he had no idea how to go about doing that.

Maybe through his mother? Fenrir had been very friendly with Narcissa Malfoy prior to her husband's release from prison. That closeness had faltered after Lucius' death for obvious reasons. Narcissa was a smart woman, surely she would realize that he had no choice in the matter?

Draco acted like he knew that, but Fenrir wasn't convinced. He heard Draco screaming at him in his nightmares not to touch him after Fenrir killed Lucius. He should have expected such a reaction, but it had felt horrifying to know that his Beta reviled him so much. That was not supposed to be how and Alpha/Beta relationship worked. The Beta was meant to be the Alpha's right hand man, his number two. And right now, Fenrir wasn't sure he could even trust his number two wolf.

Fenrir made a decision to visit Narcissa in her solar. He hadn't been there in weeks, not since before he killed Lucius. He hoped she would receive him.

He knocked on the door and heard Narcissa bid him entrance. When he walked through the door Narcissa gasped. It was clear she hadn't expected him.

"Fenrir, hello," her voice stiff as she beckoned him into the room.

Fenrir could feel the animosity as he stepped into her solar. She did not want him here. But Fenrir needed her, without Narcissa he was sure he would lose Draco entirely. Draco's position in the pack was too high to lose him now. He would need to be his most charming to woo Narcissa back to his side. Or it might take more than charm to convince the woman to stand by her husband's murderer.

"Narcissa, I hope you can accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your husband. And my humblest apology for my part in it," Fenrir added quietly as he sat on the settee next to her. She had tea brought in and they were both quiet as she poured them each a cuppa.

"Fenrir, Lucius was a complicated man. I am saddened at his loss, but he hasn't been the man I married for several years now," her eyes were downcast and she wouldn't meet his gaze. Fenrir felt hope flutter through his chest. _Maybe Narcissa wasn't a lost cause,_ he thought.

He didn't want to scare her off, so he knelt in front of her, took her hands into his, and tried to catch her eye. When she finally pinned him down with her deep blue eyes, he spoke.

"Narcissa, I vow to do anything in my power to protect both you and Draco. Without Lucius and with Draco at school, I know you're in a precarious situation. Let me be your champion," he pleaded with her, the magic of the vow swirled around the pair of them. He hadn't planned on a magical vow with her, but he meant it.

"Please," he added with sincerity.

Her face was a mask when he started his vow, but had crumbled by the end. She nodded faintly and Fenrir felt the relief sweep through him. He had Narcissa. Thank the gods.

In his excitement and relief, Fenrir surged forward and captured her lips with his own. He drove a hand through her hair and cupped the back of her neck, pulling her down to meet his lips.

He was about to pull away, shocked by the action he had just forced on the pure-blood witch and then she began returning the kiss, opening her mouth to his. Fenrir was a selfish man; he took full advantage of what she was offering and plundered her mouth with his tongue. _She is kissing me back._ He could hardly believe that this woman was kissing him back. He stood and dragged her to stand with him. He crushed her body to his; he wrapped a firm arm around her waist and pulled her close. His other hand still at the back of her head directing their kisses. She clutched at his shoulders and pulled him as close as he was pulling her.

He maneuvered them back toward the wall next to the settee and pushed Narcissa's back into the wall as he pressed himself into her. He couldn't get enough of her and pulled at her robes. His hands were quick and frantic in their need to feel her skin. Her robes fell from her shoulders and she was just in a sheath dress as he began kissing his way down the column of her throat.

Her own hands were busy pulling at his robes and soon his robes were on the floor and his shirt was half-unbuttoned. He sucked at her pulse point and his cock twitched at the resulting moan.

 _Fuck,_ he thought, _I never thought she'd be like this._ Fenrir had expected the prissy pure-blood to be just that. Prissy. He was hoping he wasn't going to have to take a cold shower after this. Now that they had started he was desperate to have her.

He abruptly turned her around and unzipped her dress. He slid the dress down her arms and she stood with her back to him, and he realized she wasn't wearing a bra, just knickers. He paused for a moment and took in her gorgeous pale skin. It was perfect and unblemished. Realizing he had been taking too much time, and not wanting to give her time to think, he quickly put his hands back on her body. Running them all over in an attempt to feel every bit of her.

He ran his hands down her smooth, warm back. When he reached her knickers, he pulled those off and dragged them down her legs. On his way back up he took a large sniff at the apex of her thighs, savoring the scent of her arousal. She stood there calmly, didn't say a word, her back to him the entire time. He could feel her trembling. He didn't know if it was in fear or anticipation, but he sorely hoped it was anticipation.

He dragged his hands back up her legs and grasped her hands that were hanging by her side. He pulled them up and pressed them into the wall above her head. Then he pushed on her back so she was bent at the waist with her hands supporting herself on the wall. She made a lovely sight with her back arched and her bum and sex in the air.

Fenrir unzipped his own pants and pulled out his stiff cock. He stepped between her legs and pushed on each one. Narcissa widened her stance and sank lower along the wall. He rest his prick along the cleft of her bum as he reached around Narcissa and palmed a breast in one hand. He began tweaking her nipples.

The other hand he dragged down to her clit and began a gentle stroke there. He slipped his cock into her tight channel. _Oh gods, so hot, so tight_ , he thought as he pulled out and slipped back in. He still had a hand on her clit and gave her firm strokes in time with his entry into her cunt. She orgasmed quickly and it surprised him. He wasn't ready for it so he clenched his teeth and rode it out. She was breathing hard, but hadn't said anything. When she finally relaxed he began pounding into her. He had a hand around her waist to hold her up and in position and the other clenched her hands on the wall.

"Mine," he growled over and over again as he snapped his hips into hers. She was gasping in reply, her hips lifting to meet his, helping his rhythm along.

Moments later he had worked her into another orgasm and he let this one take him away. The clenching of her walls around his cock did him in and he spurted his seed deep inside her with a low growl.

He pulled her to him and they both slumped to the floor. She stayed in his arms for a few moments, but eventually untangled herself, rose, and slid back into her robes. She moved toward the door, pausing briefly to look back.

"You can leave now, " she said.

 _Fuck,_ Fenrir thought as the door closed softly behind her.

* * *

Fenrir apparated to the Shrieking Shack to meet with his Beta for the full moon. He was early. Nightfall wasn't for another few hours, but his Beta had written to ask him to meet early. Fenrir was happy with Draco's request. He hoped that meant their relationship was healing. He was the first to the Shack, but his pup wasn't there yet and the rest of the wolves tapped to meet them weren't due to arrive until right before nightfall.

Fenrir got comfortable on the one good sofa in the sitting room of the Shrieking Shack, when he heard a scuffling below him. _Must be the pup coming through the tunnel,_ Fenrir thought to himself. He took a big sniff and realized there were two wolves in the tunnel. As far as Fenrir knew, there was only one wolf at Hogwarts. He felt his hackles rise at the thought of another wolf either intruding on his time with his Beta. Or worse, forcing his Beta into something. He stood from the couch and pulled out his wand, pointing it at the trap door as it opened.

Draco was the first through the trapdoor, and the wolf who followed nearly shocked Fenrir into sitting back down.

Remus Lupin climbed through the trapdoor behind his pup.

"What the fuck is going on here, pup?" Fenrir growled at Draco. He yanked him by the collar of his shirt and was thankful that he was still bigger than Draco.

"He followed me! He told me he had to talk to you, I don't even know how he found out!" Draco cried out as he stumbled to regain his footing.

"It was your damned mate, obviously, pup," Fenrir replied as he pushed Draco into the couch behind him. He had thought Draco was smarter than that. _Hadn't he realized she would tell the Light side?_

"Greyback," Lupin began bowing slightly and turning his head to show his neck. Fenrir's anger dialed back a little at the show of deference and trust.

"What do you want Lupin?" Fenrir asked. He was sure nothing good could come of this. He hadn't seen Lupin in years, and the years had not been kind to him. He looked like an old man, his sandy hair greying and he had a slight stoop to his back. He was as large as ever, though, and had he not chosen the route of lone wolf, Fenrir was sure he could have been Alpha of his own pack.

"I've been cast out," Lupin stated and his shoulders slumped even further in defeat.

"Cast out?" Fenrir asked. He was not going to make this easy on him. He and Lupin had bad blood between them.

"The Order has cast me out. I - I took things too far with an Order member and they have decided I'm more trouble than I'm worth," Lupin replied. He didn't meet Fenrir's eyes. Fenrir wasn't sure he could believe him. He stalked forward and grasped Lupin's chin, forcing the other man to meet his eyes.

Lupin's eyes were sad, morose even. Fenrir still had a niggling of doubt, but he didn't think he was lying to him.

"What do you want?" Fenrir asked again.

"To join you. I'm tired of being a loner. I won't survive long, I need a pack," Lupin replied wearily.

"My pack is full," Fenrir replied. He lifted the sleeve on his left arm and showed the other man his Dark Mark. "I serve the Dark Lord. Stop lying to me, Lupin. I know you don't want to be a Death Eater."

"You're right, I don't. But I don't know where else to go. I don't have anyone else to turn to. I can feel my mind, and it's searching for a collective. If I don't find one, I'm going to die," Lupin replied in an utterly defeated tone.

Fenrir wished he could read his mind or emotions through legilimency or a pack collective. But he couldn't, because when he had bit Lupin he had not been biting to create a pack. Lupin wasn't pack and he clearly had pack sickness. Fenrir didn't trust him enough to make him pack now either. What to do with him? He would hate to see one of his pups die because of something as simple as needing a pack. Pack-sickness wasn't common -usually a wolf bit another person to create a pack before they were as far along in the disease as Lupin was. Lupin had two outcomes: death or join a pack. He came to a decision.

"Then make your own pack, and swear fealty to me," Fenrir stated.

"My own? But how?" Lupin asked, his face genuinely confused.

"You're a werewolf, man!" Fenrir shouted. "How bloody far along are you?"

"I won't bite anyone else! I won't curse anyone else to this damned disease!" Lupin shouted a sudden wave of energy engulfing him.

Fenrir knew that's what Lupin would say, he always was a nancy-boy. "Fine, swear fealty to me, but I won't put you in my pack. You can work with Draco to assume some of the others I've bitten over the years into your own pack."

Lupin didn't say anything for a moment, but finally nodded. He must be far enough along in the pack-sickness to agree to anything at this point.

"Good, a wizarding oath if you please. Draco, come be our bonder," Fenrir stated as he stepped forward and grasped Lupin's right forearm with his own.

Draco stood and walked to the two werewolves as he pulled out his wand.

"I, Remus John Lupin, do so swear my loyalty and faithfulness to you, Fenrir Bertram Greyback."

A gold ribbon of light erupted from Draco's wand and wrapped around the wrists of both men.

"I pledge you my allegiance, constancy, and devotion."

Another gold ribbon of light wrapped around the wizards wrists from Draco's yard.

"I pledge you my pack's loyalty and fealty, I so swear."

A third gold ribbon of light wrapped around their wrists and sank into their flesh. Fenrir felt the bond in his magical core. He released Lupin's hand.

"I assume you want to stay here for the change?" Fenrir asked Lupin as he stepped away from the other wolf.

Lupin nodded, "I've taken a full course of Wolfsbane."

Fenrir laughed, "You're the only one of us who has," he taunted. Lupin's shoulders tightened at the taunt and Fenrir laughed again.

"Come on, pup. Start discussing your wolfy business with Lupin," Fenrir said as he sat on the sofa again. The three spent the next hour or so discussing which loners would be best to approach first for Lupin's pack while they waited for sundown and the rest of Fenrir's pack to show up.

* * *

Right before sundown, several pops were heard and Fenrir made a quick sniff. Arnou, Seff, Rand, and Udolf were here. The four pack wolves walked into the setting room and other than the raised eyebrow from Rand, none of them had anything to say about Lupin joining. They all knew better than to ask questions.

Each of them greeted both himself and Draco with the proper respect due to the leaders of their pack. They each showed their neck. Draco was boisterous and happy to be rejoined to even this small amount of his pack. Fenrir could feel his good mood through the collective and he leaned back into the sofa to await the change. He enjoyed the mellowness of having his pack around him. Even this small portion felt like home. He had lived for a lot of years before forming a pack. But at the first signs of pack-sickness he had bit Rand and Udolf with the intention of forming a pack. It had saved Fenrir. He hoped Lupin was smart enough to let forming a pack save him too.

The pack played for the first half of the night. They enjoyed and rejoiced to be in each other's company again. Lupin was not pack and he had taken a full course of Wolfsbane. So he slept in another room while the pack played.

It hadn't been his choice, the pack had chased him out of the main room at the strong scent of aconite radiating from him. Fenrir tried but couldn't feel too badly for the other wolf. He had his beta and his omega and some of the most important members of his pack with him. He couldn't worry about a guest wolf this night.

Upon sunrise the pack rose and stretched. They joked and jostled as they dressed for the day. Even Lupin joined them in the morning and Fenrir could see he was enjoying the camaraderie.

The pack took its leave from Draco and Lupin after a half hour or so. Fenrir wanted Draco to get fed and to bed to recover, and the rest of his pack as well. He was shocked when Draco allowed him a hug in farewell and felt sad as he apparated away from his Beta and his newest vassal.

Fenrir hadn't detected any underlying tension between Draco and Lupin. He had no idea he had just laid to ruin their plans. He had no idea his own death was being plotted by the two even now.

* * *

 **A/N: All the beta love to brownlark42! She's like the first bonfire of the season.**

 **I make a manip for each chapter, you can find it on my tumblr, crochetawayhpff.**

 **Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your kind reviews! They mean more to me than you could possibly imagine!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: You guys! Your reviews are the light of my life! Thank you for reading and telling me your thoughts. I can't respond to them, but I love each one I get. I make a manip for each chapter, so find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff**

 **The lovely brownlark42 was my beta and idea-bouncer for this chapter. She's like putting on clean sweatpants straight from dryer. Enjoy!**

* * *

Hermione looked over her shoulder to ensure the hallway was clear before she paced in front of the Room of Requirement. When it opened, it was the same room her and Draco always shared, and he was lounging on the couch in front of a roaring fire. The full moon had been yesterday and instead of recovering in the infirmary, Draco chose to recover here. It was away from his dorm mates and it allowed Hermione to tend to him.

"Draco, I have the assignments you missed yesterday and today," Hermione said as she moved his legs from the end of the couch and sat down. He promptly placed his feet on her lap and she rolled her eyes when he gave her his puppy dog look, clearly asking for her to rub them.

"Did I miss anything important?" Draco asked as Hermione began a light massage.

"Everything is important, Draco. Professor Slughorn gave us a quiz yesterday, but he probably won't let you make it up. Maybe you could ask for some extra credit? I heard he is giving it to sixth and seventh years to brew potions for the infirmary," Hermione told him as she switched her massage to his other foot.

Draco nodded absently. Hermione wished he would share what was on his mind with her.

"Why won't you tell me what's bothering you?" Hermione asked. "You've been in a funk since you came in this morning."

Draco gave a heavy sigh and pulled Hermione into his arms, cuddling her to him. Hermione snuggled into him, putting her face into his chest so she could breathe in his scent. This was home. Draco felt like home to her and she couldn't imagine being anywhere else in the world than here.

"Our plan didn't work. Fenrir didn't bite Lupin and make him pack. He's directed Lupin to make his own pack," Draco said quietly.

"Merlin's pants!" Hermione swore as she lifted her head and set her chin on his chest to look into Draco's grey eyes. All of her careful planning hinged on Remus becoming pack so they could overthrow Fenrir.

"What are we going to do?" Draco asked. He rubbed his hands down her back, and one slipped under her jumper to rest on bare skin. Hermione shivered at the touch.

"Well, Greyback has given you a list of every wolf he bit, right? Maybe Remus can make them part of his pack," Hermione said and bit her lip in thought. Draco had her lying atop him and she crossed her arms over his chest and rested her chin on them.

"That's basically what Fenrir told Lupin," Draco said as he traced patterns with his fingers on the small of Hermione's back.

"That's good. This may not be such a bad thing. What if Remus uses his pack to undermine Greyback's? He recruits to his pack wolves who are patently against Greyback," Hermione mused. She drummed her fingers on Draco's chest as she mulled over the snag in their plan.

"It could work, but without Lupin's support in my pack, I have no hope of overthrowing Greyback," Draco reminded her.

"I know, you might have to live with him for a bit. We may have to put that portion of the plan on hold until you can spend more time in the pack and get more allies," Hermione admitted. She felt bad for Draco, she could tell he was chafing being under Greyback, his father's murderer.

Draco groaned and closed his eyes, "But I don't want to be under Greyback's thumb," he sighed.

"I know. And I don't want you to be either, but what would happen if you tried to take over as Alpha and failed?" Hermione asked. She hated that their careful plans had gone off the rails so soon.

"I'd likely be killed," Draco admitted and he opened his eyes to meet Hermione's gaze again.

"Then that's not an option," Hermione said firmly. "I don't think I would survive losing you," she admitted as she slipped her arms around his chest and hugged him tightly to her. Hermione knew that if Draco didn't survive this upcoming war, she wouldn't have a life worth living.

Draco's arms tightened around her, "I'm not going anywhere," he said fiercely. Hermione leaned up to give him a searing kiss. She knew that Draco would do anything to keep them together. Even if it meant living under Greyback's rule.

* * *

Harry was waiting for Hermione when she returned to the Gryffindor common room just before curfew that night. He sat on their usual couch in front of the fire and was bouncing a leg. He was clearly agitated about something. Hermione sat next to him and cast a _Muffliato_ around the couch as the common room was particularly full just after curfew.

"Are you ok, Harry?" Hermione asked her friend.

"I'm not sure. You know I've been meeting with Professor Dumbledore?" Harry asked. Hermione nodded and he continued. "He's been showing me these memories. Voldemort created Horcruxes. Do you know what a Horcrux is? They're bits of his soul. He performs some magic when he kills someone and it splits his soul... and then he houses it in an object of his choosing. It's why he didn't really die the night my parents were killed," Harry explained.

"I've never heard of them?" Hermione asked. She wracked her memory but Horcrux wasn't there.

"It's foul magic, Hermione. I'm guessing there won't be anything in the library about them. The thing is, you've seen his hand, right?" Hermione nodded. "I think he's setting me up to look for these Horcruxes. I think that he means for me to find them and destroy them before I'm to face Voldemort. And I don't think Professor Dumbledore will be around while I do it."

"Merlin, you think he's going to make you do it on your own? While he sits here at Hogwarts?" Hermione asked. She was shocked that Professor Dumbledore would send Harry out alone on such a dangerous mission. She could see that Professor Dumbledore had been manipulating and using Harry for years. While it had taken her a few years to recognize it, it made her irrationally angry that he would pin so much on a child.

"No, I think he's dying. I think the curse on his hand is killing him," Harry told her quietly.

Understanding dawned on Hermione. Professor Dumbledore was doing what he had to in order to give Harry enough information to defeat Voldemort for good. She couldn't agree with his methods, but she didn't have the tools to change the path Professor Dumbledore had already laid out. They were going to have to follow it in order to defeat Voldemort.

"Well, has he told you how to destroy a Horcrux?" Hermione asked. She slumped against the back of the couch and closed her eyes as she listened to Harry. She needed to incorporate this new information into her plan with Draco and Remus. If she, Harry, and Ron couldn't return to Hogwarts next year because they were hunting Horcruxes, how would that affect Draco and Remus?

"It's really hard. Professor Dumbledore reckons Tom Riddle's diary from second year was a Horcrux and I destroyed it when I stabbed it with a Basilisk fang. So Basilisk venom works, but where are we going to get that? There was also this wizard, Herpo the Foul, back in ancient Greece, who created the first Horcrux. His was destroyed by Fiendfyre."

"Well Basilisk venom is impossible to get, unless we get some fangs from the Chamber of Secrets. And even then, the fangs would have to still have venom in them. I'm not sure they would after four years," Hermione mused. "I think Fiendfyre may be a possibility. I know it's a difficult spell and hard to control, but at least we wouldn't have to carry around something extremely dangerous with us when we go looking for the Horcruxes."

"What do you mean we?" Harry asked. "You aren't coming with me. Professor Dumbledore wants me to do it, and I don't want you to be hurt. Besides, I'm going to not come back to Hogwarts next year. I'm looking for Horcruxes instead. I know you won't miss a year of school."

"Of course I'm coming with you Harry! Haven't I been right there with you since first year?" Hermione asked. She couldn't believe Harry still thought he could protect her from this. Harry wouldn't last a day without Hermione's help. "School isn't as important as defeating Voldemort and saving the wizarding world, Harry," Hermione scolded.

"And besides, did Professor Dumbledore even tell you where and what all of Voldemort's Horcruxes are?" Hermione asked him. Harry shook his head. She had thought not. Professor Dumbledore himself probably didn't even know where and what all of the Horcruxes are.

"He thinks most of them are related to the Hogwarts Founders. Two are probably gone, but he thinks Voldemort made at least six," Harry told her.

"Six?! Circe," Hermione breathed.

"It's why he was so unstable when the killing curse rebounded off of me and hit him the night my parents died," Harry explained.

Hermione nodded. Everything made sense. To have split your soul seven ways though? It was horrific.

"How does a Horcrux work?" Hermione asked. "Is it that he splits his soul in half each time he makes one? Or is he able to carve out just a bit?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know. But if he split his soul in half each time he made one, he'd hardly have any soul left."

"I think that must be the case. He doesn't seem to have much of a soul now," Hermione replied. "So the diary was one and it's gone. What's the other one Professor Dumbledore thinks is gone?"

"A ring. Professor Dumbledore found it in the house Tom Riddle's mother grew up in. It's from the Gaunt family and it was what cursed his hand," Harry replied. "I've seen memories of a cup from Helena Hufflepuff, a locket from Salazar Slytherin, and the ring from the Gaunt family."

"So there are four known Horcruxes, what about the other two?" Hermione asked as she opened her eyes and looked at her friend. Harry was staring into the fire. He had a haunted look on his face and Hermione could imagine the weight on his shoulders.

"Something from Ravenclaw for sure. I don't know what. And Professor Dumbledore has no idea on the last one," Harry told her. He didn't meet her eye and Hermione knew he was feeling hopeless that this fight against Voldemort had just gotten that much more complicated.

"Well, two down, four to go, and then we just have to defeat Voldemort," Hermione said falsely bright in an attempt to cheer Harry up. "I'm sure we can find the other Horcruxes. Does Professor Dumbledore have any leads on them?"

"He reckons he knows where the locket is. He said he needs to do more research, but promised he would bring me with him when he went to retrieve it," Harry replied. "You make this sound like this is going to be a grand adventure, Hermione."

"I know it will be hard, but we have to keep our spirits up or we'll fall into despair and hopelessness. That won't do anyone any good. We still have Professor Dumbledore, so hopefully before he…" Hermione couldn't say it, "before the curse gets too bad he is able to locate a few more of the other Horcruxes. In the meantime, I'm going to figure out how to cast Fiendfyre," Hermione told him.

"If anyone can do it, it's you," Harry told her with a small smile. Hermione returned his smile, happy that he seemed at least a little calmer than when she had arrived in the common room.

At that moment, Ron finally realized his friends were in the common room as well and pulled himself from Lavender's arms.

"Harry, Hermione, so good to see you both," Ron said loudly as he approached the pair. Lavender pouted in the background and Hermione had to roll her eyes.

"Getting sick of her already?" Harry asked as he made room for Ron on the couch.

"She's like a bloody octopus," he replied quietly as he sat down and Hermione giggled at his description, which in turn made Lavender's pout turn into a full blown glare at Hermione.

"What are you two talking about? Did I feel a _Muffliato_ as I walked up?" Ron asked.

"Harry was telling me about the meetings he's been having with Professor Dumbledore," Hermione began. She and Harry relayed the conversation to Ron about Horcruxes and what the plan for the following year would be.

"Count me in," Ron replied. Hermione smiled at him proudly.

"You don't have to come," Harry told Ron.

"Like I'm going to go to school while you two are off on adventures?" Ron scoffed. And Harry finally had to agree that his two best friends were not going to let him do this on his own.

* * *

A few days later, after Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione cornered Professor Snape.

"Professor Snape?" she asked as the last of the students left the classroom. Professor Snape sighed heavily and turned toward her.

"What can I do for you, Miss Granger?" he sneered. His tone was annoyed and Hermione couldn't tell if he was truly annoyed or if it was the act he put on.

"I was wondering if you would consent to tutor me privately for a spell I'm trying to learn," Hermione explained.

"What? The know-it-all can't get a spell to work?" Professor Snape mocked her. She glared at him.

"You know what Professor Dumbledore has asked Harry to do?" Hermione asked. She could tell that Professor Snape was shocked by her question when his eyes widened a fraction and he made a quick glance around the classroom. Noting that it was empty, he whipped his wand to the door and locked it, then cast privacy and silencing spells around the room.

"Are you trying to get me killed, girl?" Professor Snape hissed to her as he gestured her to sit before his desk.

"I'm not, but I needed you to know how serious I was," Hermione replied. She didn't apologize though. Professor Snape was a git.

"I do know about the mission Dumbledore has placed on Potter's shoulders," Professor Snape admitted. His face gave away nothing.

"Then you know what we'll be searching for? I need to know how to destroy them. I want to learn how to cast Fiendfyre," Hermione told him.

Professor Snape rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Want me to pull the moon down for you too, child?"

"I know it's a difficult spell, but I also know that getting Basilisk venom is equally hard. And then we're carrying an extremely dangerous and toxic substance. I thought Fiendfyre would be the best destruction method," Hermione explained.

"It is, but it's almost impossible to teach. And if you don't have a fire affinity, you won't be able to control it," Professor Snape replied as he steepled his hands in front of him.

Hermione grinned at him and conjured her signature bluebell flames in the palms of her hands. Professor Snape tried to look unimpressed, but Hermione thought she detected a glint of respect shining in his black eyes.

"Very well, we'll meet on Thursday's after your last lesson and before dinner. I'll have to consider where the best place to practice is at,. For now meet me at my classroom."

Hermione jumped up and squeaked in delight, "Thank you, thank you, Professor Snape!"

* * *

The following Thursday, Hermione arrived right on time at Professor Snape's classroom. She was excited for her first lesson in Fiendfyre and bounced on her toes as she waited for the professor. When he arrived, he gave her a slight nod and motioned her toward the entrance of the castle. Hermione had to jog in order to keep up with his long strides. As soon as they were out of the castle, he headed toward the Forbidden Forest beyond Hagrid's hut.

"Are we going to practice in the Forbidden Forest? Isn't that too close to Hogwarts?" Hermione called out as they passed Hagrid's hut.

"Silence, girl," Professor Snape snapped at her. Once they reached the forest Snape stopped and held out his hand. Hermione just stared at it. Did he mean for her to take it?

"Well, take it girl, I don't have all night," Professor Snape huffed as he punctuated his words with a shake of his hand. Hermione tentatively reached out to grasp his hand and Professor Snape Apparated them away. Hermione hadn't known that the Anti-Apparition wards only extended to the grounds and not the Forbidden Forest.

When they landed, Hermione couldn't keep to her feet and fell. She quickly stood up and looked around, they were in a deep valley, a canyon almost, with a river running down the middle of the valley. It didn't seem as though they had left Scotland as the weather hadn't changed.

"Where are we, sir?" Hermione asked as she looked around.

"We're still in the Forbidden Forest, just a very remote part of it. It's far enough from Hogwarts not to attract any attention, but still covered by most of Hogwarts wards. Professor Snape strode forward until they were in the middle of the valley near the river. It was November, so the few plants that grew in the valley were brown and dead.

"First, let's discuss the uses of Fiendfyre and the theory behind it," Professor Snape began. He was firmly in lecture mode and conversed about the origins of Fiendfyre and why it was created. Hermione was fascinated. She had read everything she could find out about in the library, but she had trouble finding a lot of detail. She had no idea it was what the muggles called Greek Fire.

Professor Snape spoke for close to half an hour. As soon as he began, Hermione had pulled out a piece of parchment and began taking notes. Despite his appearance and caustic behavior, Professor Snape was an excellent lecturer and very knowledgeable.

"The incantation is _Ignis pe Fende_ and the wand movement is a very large circle to create the fire. In order to create a beast within the fire you must draw the wand up through the center of the circle and flick your wrist. I'll demonstrate," Professor Snape turned around and Hermione scrambled up from her seated position on the floor of the canyon to peer around him.

The professor faced the river and made a large circle with his wand arm, it was the range of his movement that surprised Hermione. Wand movements tend to be very subtle, but this was the full extent of Professor Snape's arm extending all the way around. He paused for a moment once he reached the bottom of the circle and then spoke the incantation as he slowly drew his wand up the center and flicked his wrist.

After he said the incantation, fire began pouring out of Professor Snape's wand in a steady stream and at the flick of his wrist it turned into a massive, coiling fiery serpent that wound it's way to the river. When it reached the river, it bounced back as if it knew the water would douse it. It turned abruptly and headed straight for them. Hermione's eyes grew very wide at seeing the large jaws of the fire serpent heading their way, and she had to stop herself from stepping back

" _Mergit ignis_ ," Professor Snape muttered and flicked his wrist again. The fire began to dwindle and seemed to draw itself back into Professor Snape's wand until it was extinguished.

"Wow," Hermione breathed. She knew that controlling Fiendfyre was extremely difficult and she was impressed with Professor Snape's control.

"It's very difficult to douse Fiendfyre, and it is unequivocally dark magic, Miss Granger. Make no mistake about that. It will require dark intentions in order to perform correctly. And a seemingly impossible amount of control over your magic in order to extinguish the flame," he cast a skeptical eye toward her. "Let's begin with you practicing the wand movements, then we'll see if you can cast it," he told her and turned back to face her.

Hermione nodded eagerly and began practicing the wand movements that Professor Snape had just shown her. He made a few corrections and then let her cast the spell. The first three times she tried to cast it, nothing happened.

"What are you thinking about, Miss Granger?" Professor Snape finally asked.

What did it matter? She was obviously thinking about Fiendfyre, the theory behind the spell, and the instructions Professor Snape had given her and making sure she was making the correct pronunciation. She told him all of this.

"Didn't I say this was dark magic? You have to mean it, Miss Granger. Think about something or someone you hate. And not someone you don't really know, like the Dark Lord, but someone you hate personally. A childhood bully or one of the prettier girls in your year," Professor Snape sneered at her.

Hermione glared at him. She didn't care that he didn't think she was pretty. He was her professor, that would be gross. But it still hurt to hear.

Hermione took a deep breath and turned back to the river. She thought about Fenrir Greyback, his love of blood and violence, and how Draco was going to have to continue to serve him. She thought about the pain that Greyback had caused Draco so far and soon she felt her blood boiling. She made the large circle and at the bottom she shouted, " _Ignis pe Fende_!"

A jet of fire quickly shot from her wand, Hermione flicked with her wrist and a glorious phoenix emerged from the fire. The same as the serpent, it hit the river and turned back around to them. Hermione was so shocked and pleased at her success that she didn't think about trying to douse it right away.

"Put it out, girl!" Professor Snape shouted behind her.

Hermione jerked into action and flicked her wrist saying, " _Mergit ignis_ ," but nothing happened. She did it again and again and the fiery phoenix was still heading toward them.

Finally, over her shoulder she heard Professor Snape roar, " _MERGIT IGNIS_!"

The fire ended abruptly a meter from where they were standing. She was shaking and could hear the professor panting hard from the exertion of extinguishing someone else's Fiendfyre.

"Clearly we need to work on control," Professor Snape said flatly after he had caught his breath.

Hermione nodded. That had been frightening, but exhilarating all the same. She was sure she could learn to master it, and she was excited to continue her lessons.

"You need to work on finding your magic and controlling it. Have you tried wandless magic at all?" Professor Snape asked as he led her away from the center of the canyon, back to the point they had first arrived.

"No," Hermione replied. Wandless magic? She knew that supposed to be incredibly difficult.

"Look up some books in the library on the theory of it. Those techniques to find your magic and center yourself and reach out with your magic will help in the controlling of the Fiendfyre. We'll meet again next week and see if your control is any better," Professor Snape held out his hand and as soon as Hermione grasped it, he Apparated them back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Nobody should know about these lessons," Professor Snape warned as he strode away from her. Hermione was so happy and excited that she had been able to successfully cast the spell that the dour man's attitude didn't put a dent into her mood.

She ambled her way back to the castle, stopping by Hagrid's for a few minutes to catch up. When she got to the Entrance Hall it was dinner time, but Hermione was too keyed up to eat. She went up to the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement instead.

When she arrived, she saw that it was in the Room of Hidden Things form and Draco was inside working on the Vanishing Cabinet.

"Hermione, I thought you'd be at dinner," Draco said as she approached him. The Vanishing Cabinet was about halfway into the large room, and it was a winding, twisty path in order to get there from the door.

"Not hungry," Hermione said with a shrug as she joined Draco. They both stood facing the cabinet.

"How's it going?" Hermione asked as she slid an arm around his waist in a half hug. He leaned down and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good, you smell like fire," Draco replied as he put his own arm around her.

"I'm working on a project," Hermione said. She didn't want to tell Draco everything. It's not that she didn't trust him, but he didn't need more burdens. And she really didn't want to tell him that she had no plans of being at Hogwarts next year. He would insist on coming along on the Horcrux hunt, which would be disastrous. Not only would he fight with Harry and Ron, but he needed to be with his pack. He'd never get rid of Greyback if he didn't spend more time with his pack.

"What project?" Draco asked. He finally turned and looked at her, both of his hands resting on her waist and he pulled her close to him. She slipped her own arms around him and rested her head on his chest, still looking at the Vanishing Cabinet. If she didn't look him in the eye, it would be easier to lie to him, she reasoned. She hated lying to him.

"Nothing important. It might not pan out anyway," Hermione replied. She hugged him close and when it felt like he was going to speak again, she pulled him down for a kiss.

This kiss soon turned heated and before Hermione knew it they were both on the floor and only half clothed. Draco was dropping kisses down her body as his mouth made it's way down to her center. He flipped up her skirt as he reached it and pulled her knickers off. Draco had never shown an interest in kissing her there before and Hermione wasn't sure she wanted him to. She grasped his hair in order to stop him.

"You don't have to," she said as she blushed and looked away. She was unable to meet his eyes.

"Hey, Granger, look at me," Draco said as he reached an arm up to touch her cheek. She turned to look into his slate grey eyes finding them molten and full of want.

"I want to," he told her. "Do you have any idea of how bloody good you smell and taste to me? The thought of being able to lick you makes me harder than I think I've ever been."

"But don't I smell weird?" she asked. She was self-conscience of her feminine odor. It was a big topic of conversation between Parvati and Lavender. There were even spells to make you smell better down there.

"Merlin, no! You smell like apples, and trees full of fall leaves, and cinnamon, and home to me. You smell like home," Draco replied as he surged forward and kissed her on the lips.

"I won't though if you don't want me to," he told her once they broke for air.

"I'm curious," Hermione admitted. "But embarrassed," she blushed and looked away again.

"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Draco told her. "I'll stop if you want me to, just say the word," he told her as he began kissing down her body again. He spent some time at each nipple, getting her back into the mood and soon she was flushed again, this time with passion and desire instead of embarrassment. She stiffened when Draco settled between her thighs, but he reached a hand up to grasp hers.

With his other hand he stroked her gently and then gave her a long lick from the bottom of her slit to the top and Hermione keened at the pleasure of it. It felt heavenly to have his tongue down there doing these things to her. She quickly forgot to be embarrassed and grasped Draco's hair in order to keep him down there. He teased the button at the top of her sex with his tongue, swirling it around and around. It drove Hermione's pleasure and desire higher and higher and soon she was on the verge of coming.

"Draco," she whined, "please… more…"

Draco insert a finger into her and made a come hither motion, sending Hermione careening over the edge of her orgasm. She rocked her hips into his face as he licked her down from her high.

When Hermione was finally sensible to the world again she found Draco grinning above her, his cock positioned at her entrance.

"Still embarrassed?" he asked as he nudged her with the head of his cock. She smiled up at him, she was still a little embarrassed but it had felt so good she knew she would want him to do it again sometime.

"Please, Hermione," he moaned as he rocked his hips forward again, begging her permission to enter.

"Yes, gods Draco, yes," Hermione cried out as she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer to her. He entered her and Hermione luxuriated in the feel of his hot length filling her.

"Merlin, Granger. It's like coming home," Draco groaned as he dropped his head to trace her mark with his tongue. When he touched her mark Hermione could feel her desire ramp up. She could almost feel the bond between them thrumming. Draco pulled out and pushed back in so slowly that Hermione bucked her own hips to get him to move faster.

"Ah, ah, let's take this slow," Draco said as he licked the scar that had just missed her left nipple. He rocked in and out of her again. Hermione relished the feel of him, but her body wanted it to be faster and harder. To go, go, go, like they had every other time before this.

"There's a certain pleasure in a slow buildup," Draco told her as he pulled out and pushed back in again. This time he twisted his hips a little and hit the spot inside that made Hermione see stars.

"Draco," she whined at his slow pace as he made her see stars again. "I'm not going to last," she breathed out as her orgasm built and built.

"That's alright, come for me, mate," Draco growled increasing his pace.

Hearing the animalistic quality of his voice and his claim on her tipped Hermione over the edge and she came with a shout of Draco's name. Draco peppered her face and throat with kisses as she came down and he rocked his hips very gently.

"Gods, I love hearing my name on your lips as you come," he told her and his pace increased again. Hermione moaned in response, she was so sensitive she didn't think she'd be able to orgasm a third time. It was almost too much having Draco pound into her.

"Mate," she hissed and bared her neck for him. They hadn't played much with the mate bond beyond that first time. But Hermione was curious about how possessive Draco felt over her. She didn't think she'd wanted that until he was.

"Merlin, witch," Draco breathed as he bit down on her neck and rocked even faster into her.

"Mine, always and forever mine," he told her, his hips snapped into hers at a frenetic pace.

"Yours, Draco. Yours, Beta," Hermione keened as impossibly she felt another orgasm begin to build.

"Fuck, I can feel your tight cunt fluttering around me. Gods, mate, come for me," Draco moaned as he bit her mate scar, mimicking the actions of creating it. At the same time, he reached a hand between them and thumbed Hermione's clit. It was enough. Hermione felt her orgasm come and crest over her, wave after wave of pleasure crashed into her and she moaned out Draco's name over and over again.

Draco came with a shout soon after, "H'mione!" he cried out. He slumped on top of her, completely spent.

"We keep getting better at that," Draco finally said with a slight smirk as he moved off of her and lay on his side, still propped above her. Hermione snorted and felt herself flush.

"Merlin, I love your blushes," Draco said as he leaned down and kissed her soundly. Hermione cuddled herself into his side and wished the world wasn't so complicated right now. All she wanted was to be with her mate and never have to leave his side.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Big thanks to guest beta Mahawna! My normal beta, brownlark42 has a busy few weeks ahead of her and was unable to get a chance to look at it.**

 **Thanks as always for your awesome reviews, I read each and every one of them and they fill me with joy.**

 **I have plotted the end of this story! I always knew where it was going, but it's official, we have about 12 chapters left after this one. Action will start going quickly from here! Enjoy!**

* * *

Narcissa wasn't sure what she had been thinking following the werewolf's latest visit to her solar. She was avoiding the room now, and instead kept to the family wing. She would do anything to keep her son alive, she knew that. It wasn't so much that she regretted the sex. What concerned her more, was how much she had enjoyed it. She and Lucius hadn't had sex in years. She had almost forgotten how great sex was. She didn't know what it meant for her now that she was filled with that need again.

Since that afternoon, she had felt a sexual awakening. She had repressed that side of herself for so long and now with the Dark Lord taking up residence in her own home, how could she even think of sex? But now, now she remembered the thoughts and feelings and emotions that came with it. She couldn't stop thinking about it. Sex. The proper, well-bred, pure-blood little girl inside her was disgusted at the thought of having slept with a revolting werewolf. The woman in her wanted to do it again. Narcissa shook her head. She had bigger problems to worry about than her sex-life.

A knock sounded at the door to her sitting room, "Come in," she called out as she refreshed the tea pot. Her sister waltzed through the door, leading Rodolphus by the hand behind her. Narcissa gently rubbed her temple with her fingertips. She wasn't sure she could deal with Bella's antics today. At least Rodolphus was here to rein her in when she became too overbearing, too crazy, just too everything.

"Cissy!" Bella shrieked and cackled loudly. She skipped into the room, her wild black curls flying about her head as she grinned maniacally.

"Bella, dear, how are you?" Narcissa asked and indicated the couple should sit. Narcissa kept her face neutral and pleasant. It was always the best way to deal with Bella when she was riding her manic high. Rodolphus remained standing and turned his back on the sisters. _Smart man,_ Narcissa thought as he waved his wand and a small silencing spell settled over him.

"Oh, you know me, Cissy," Bella smirked at her. Narcissa smiled back faintly. Unfortunately, she did know her sister all too well. She poured tea for Bella and handed her the cup. Narcissa was the youngest of the Black sisters and Bella always liked to lord over how much older, and therefore, wiser she was. The indulgent smile Bella gave Narcissa as she handed her the teacup made Narcissa want to hex her sister. Instead, she smiled blandly.

"Yes, well, what is it I can do for you, Bella?" Narcissa asked.

"The Dark Lord," Bella almost moaned out and paused as if she relished saying the name and Narcissa had to suppress a shudder, "has asked that I help you plan the festivities for the New Year Revel." Narcissa knew of her sister's sexual attraction to the Dark Lord and couldn't understand it. Maybe during the first war, when he looked like a man it was more obvious. He had been a good looking man at that point in time. But now? This snake-like, gray-skinned creature that lived in her house wasn't even reminiscent of a human being. At least not in Narcissa's eyes. How anyone could be physically attracted to him was beyond her.

"Revel? I thought it was to be a ball," Narcissa asked. The Malfoy's had always hosted both a Christmas Eve Ball and a New Year's Eve Ball. The Christmas Eve Ball was generally a smaller, more intimate gathering. Sacred Twenty-Eight only. The New Year's Eve Ball was open to the wizarding public. Advertisements were put out in the Daily Prophet and anyone could come. Clearly, that was going to change this year. Narcissa had no plans to invite the wizarding public to what was going to be a deeply horrific function.

"Oh, no. Not a mere ball, dear Cissy. We have planned all manner of dark and dirty deeds for that night," Bella whispered insidiously. Narcissa worked to suppress the shudder of revulsion that threatened to overtake her. "It is quite an auspicious night after all," Bella continued in a prim, pure-blood tone. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and offered a wink to Narcissa. Narcissa smiled that bland smile she had perfected over the last year or so, to cover her displeasure and disgust with the current topic being expressed.

Narcissa thought fast - Draco and his Miss Granger were due to arrive later in the afternoon for the winter holidays. She would have to ensure that Severus left with the girl, well before the New Year's Eve festivities started. There was still the Christmas Eve Ball that the Malfoy's traditionally hosted. Hopefully, the Dark Lord didn't also have a plan for that event.

"And the Christmas Eve Ball?" Narcissa asked her sister as she set her empty teacup and saucer down on the table between them. The thought of putting any kind of food in her body when she could practically see her sister's plans for the revel made Narcissa queasy.

"Oh, that's all yours to plan Cissy. We must all be invited of course, but the Dark Lord has decided that event can go on as is," Bella replied airily. Narcissa nodded and smiled at her older sister. At least one event over the holidays would be normal for Draco. Narcissa vowed to herself that she would do her best to keep these holidays as normal for her son as possible. Although, she knew he would have to attend the New Year's Eve Revel. Hopefully, between Severus and Rodolphus they could keep him from the worst parts of it.

"Of course, Bella," Narcissa agreed. "More tea?" Bella shook her head and propped her feet on the coffee table between them.

"When is ickle Draco's _mate_ coming?" Bella asked. She spat the word mate like it was something she had discovered stuck to the bottom of her shoe.

"This afternoon. Severus is bringing them both from Hogwarts," Narcissa replied warily. She didn't like the gleam in Bella's eye.

"Good, I should like to be here to greet them," Bella cackled. It sounded like a threat to Narcissa.

"Of course, Bella," Narcissa said again. When Bella was like this, placating her was always the best move.

"It's the Granger girl, right? Potter's mudblood?" Bella confirmed with an evil little smile playing about the corners of her lips. Narcissa nodded and managed to keep her mask in place, but she was nervous for the girl. She was nervous for what she knew Bella would try to do to the girl.

"Good," Bella tittered. Narcissa's worry edged upward. She would have to warn Draco when he arrived that Bella had something nasty planned. And Severus. She had never been more grateful that Severus had planned to stay for the holiday than she was in that moment. She had put Severus in the family wing, next door to Draco as an added precaution. Of course, the girl would be staying in Draco's room and seeing Bella's thoughts whirling confirmed that those arrangements had been a good decision. Draco would protect her. Really, Narcissa didn't care about the girl, but if Potter's mudblood ended up dead, Narcissa didn't want to be the one who ended up in Azkaban for allowing it to happen.

"And where will the mudblood be staying?" Bella inquired, twirling her wand between her fingers. Narcissa went cold at the look on her sister's face. No way was she giving that information to her sister. She knew Bella would attempt something, but she didn't need to give her any time to plan.

"It shouldn't matter to you, Bella," Narcissa snapped and narrowed her gaze. She may not have many chips to play, but Narcissa was a mother bear through and through. She would protect her son with everything she had. Even if that meant protecting his mudblood mate as well.

"Aw, Cissy, you're no fun. I wouldn't hurt the girl," Bella pleaded. Obviously insinuating she would indeed like to hurt the girl. Bella and Narcissa were both raised in Slytherin, they knew the undercurrents better than anyone.

"It is none of your concern," Narcissa spat. She was suddenly glad that she had decided Bella and Rodolphus should stay in the guest wing with the rest of the Death Eaters and not the family wing. She could add the girl, Miss Granger, to the family wards and set up a ward around the family wing alerting Narcissa if anyone who was not supposed to be there crossed the wards. Bella had never been added to the Malfoy family wards, Lucius hadn't allowed it all those years ago. At the time Narcissa had been hurt, but now she was grateful. Severus being Draco's godfather was already keyed into the wards - one less thing for Narcissa to have to deal with.

Rodolphus must have sensed something was going wrong because he canceled the silencing spell and grabbed Bella's upper arm, forcing her out of her seat. Bella squawked at her husband and demanded that he release her. Rodolphus' face didn't even register that he had heard her as he turned to speak to Narcissa.

"Come, Bella. Let's leave Cissy to her party planning," he offered Narcissa a nod and swept from the room, dragging Bella behind him.

Narcissa breathed a sigh of relief when the door closed behind the couple. Her sister was becoming more unbalanced and while Narcissa was relieved that Rodolphus seemed to have things in hand, it was nerve-wracking to contemplate what Bella might get up to if Rodolphus weren't around. Narcissa sent up a silent prayer to anyone who was listening that if Rodolphus died in the coming conflict, Bella would go with him.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Narcissa stood in the foyer with Bella, Rodolphus, and Greyback awaiting the arrival of Severus, Draco, and Miss Granger. Narcissa had offered Greyback a small smile but otherwise ignored the man. It wouldn't do to have the man know that Narcissa was interested in the possibility of having relations again in the future. Narcissa forced her thoughts away from him. He may look good, especially now that he was dressing appropriately, but he was still a savage.

Severus had Apparated himself and his two students to the front gates of Malfoy Manor. The harsh winter wind made their cloaks flap as they walked up the long drive leading toward the house. Narcissa stood on the threshold with the doors open wide as she watched her son guide his mate up the drive. She was thankful to note his good manners and how attentive he was toward the girl. Narcissa had spent a lot of time and energy instilling those manners into him. It always gave her a sense of pride when she watched him employ them. When the hood of Miss Granger's dark cloak fell back, Draco was quick to replace it and help her hold it in place, even as he wound his other arm around her waist, pulling the girl closer to him. Narcissa did not miss the warm smile Miss Granger gave him.

Bella stepped forward to stand next to her as the group approached the front door. Narcissa gave her a gentle shove with her elbow, but Bella didn't move.

"This is still my house, Bella," Narcissa muttered at her sister, but she didn't take her eyes off of the approaching group. She wouldn't be intimidated in her own house, not by her sister.

"And I'm an honored guest in it," Bella cackled into her sister's ear before twirling away again to stand next to her husband. Narcissa took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves so her son wouldn't notice the strain she was under. It was going to be a difficult few days, and she hoped she would get some one-on-one time with Draco.

"Mother," Draco greeted her as they mounted the steps and he handed Miss Granger inside the Manor. "I'd like to introduce you to my mate, Miss Hermione Granger." The Granger girl bobbed a sketchy curtsy and Narcissa held out her hand. Miss Granger took it and gave it a light shake. The girl pushed back the hood of her cloak and revealed her atrocious hair, a muddy brown color with riotous curls. The wind had blown them every which way and the bushy mess made Narcissa want to shudder and call for her personal elf. She refrained, if only just, and took in the rest of the girl. She was rather short, standing next to her son, shorter even than Narcissa herself. But since her son had become a werewolf, he had grown immensely. He towered over everyone in the room, except his own Alpha and had become far broader than Lucius had ever been.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy. I was saddened to hear the news of your husband, please accept my deepest condolences," the girl murmured quietly. Too quiet for anyone behind them to hear. Narcissa narrowed her eyes at the girl. She had been under the impression that Miss Granger was quite formidable. The creature standing in front of her seemed meek and soft. Narcissa was suddenly worried that this wasn't a good match for her son after all. Her son needed someone strong and powerful to stand at his side.

"Welcome, Miss Granger," Narcissa said and planted a smile on her face, "I hope your stay here will be enjoyable. And please, let me introduce some of our honored guests." Narcissa stepped away and led the Granger girl to her sister and brother-in-law. Draco followed behind, keeping a hand on the girls back. Severus shut the doors behind him as he nodded to the group and began to climb the stairs. Narcissa wished he would have stayed for introductions, but hoped that with Rodolphus and Draco, Bella wouldn't try anything too terrible.

"Miss Granger, this is my sister Mrs. Bellatrix Lestrange, and her husband Mr. Rodolphus Lestrange," Narcissa extended her hand to the pair and the girl offered a wobbly curtsy to them both. But since neither Bella or Rodolphus offered a hand at least the girl knew enough to keep her own hand at her side.

"Pleased to meet you," she said demurely. Narcissa's worry went up several notches. This girl was no good for her son. She just knew it in her heart. Her son did not need another thing in his life he had to protect.

"Mudblood Granger," Bella began with a cackle and she stepped forward. The moment she stepped forward, Draco stepped in front of his mate. Blocking her from Bella's view. Narcissa did note that the girl didn't flinch or reach for her wand. She wasn't sure if that indicated there was more to the girl than there appeared, or if she was too simple to appreciate the threat that was her sister.

"Aunt Bella, so wonderful to see you," Draco said tightly as he leaned forward and kissed the air near Bella's cheek. "Unfortunately, we're tired from our journey and will be heading upstairs now." He grabbed the girl's hand and led her up the stairs without another word. He didn't even take the time to do more than nod at his Alpha. Narcissa was taken aback, but covered it, not wanting to show the surprise to her sister.

"Your son is rude," Bella bleated at her angrily. Narcissa nodded in agreement. That had been quite rude after all, but she couldn't help but feel happy that he was home and healthy. It was a mother thing, there was always this small pebble of worry when your children weren't under your roof.

"They have just finished with exams for the term, I'm sure they are tired. Let's go have tea, shall we?" she said to the group and led them to her solar. Greyback peeled off from the group at some point and it was just her and Bella and Rodolphus for the second time that day. Narcissa sighed as she entered the room and began preparing the tea.

* * *

"Draco and Miss Granger chose to eat dinner in their rooms," Narcissa explained to Severus and Rodolphus who were the only ones she had invited to dine with her in the small dining room on the first floor. It was the family dining room and much more intimate than the grand dining room on the ground floor. Narcissa knew Rodolphus preferred this dining room and that Severus hated to socialize with his brethren.

"It's to be expected," Severus commented. "They are young and in love," he sneered.

Rodolphus chuckled at Severus' comment and Narcissa smiled tightly.

"Cissy, the food is wonderful as always," Rodolphus commented with a sly smile. Narcissa returned his smile with genuine affection. She felt bad for the man who had to corral Bella at every turn. His wife had not been invited, in fact, she was eating with the rest of the Death Eaters in the grand dining room. Over the last several months, Rodolphus had done his best to keep Bella away from her and Narcissa was very appreciative of that effort. Maybe she should find some way to repay him? She figured inviting him to spend some time away from his wife was a relief for him. She would think on it and see if there was something else she could do for him.

Severus had been spending as much time at the Manor with her as his duties at Hogwarts allowed. Narcissa had always been a little sweet on Severus. When he was a firstie in Slytherin Narcissa had been in her first year as a prefect and she had taken him under her wing. He had been so small compared to the rest of the children in his year. Her heart had melted when the Sorting Hat had called out Slytherin for the boy. Even at that first feast, she had pulled him to sit next to her.

"Severus, I have been told there is to be a revel on New Year's Eve instead of a ball. I want you to take Miss Granger back to Hogwarts the day before. Draco would never forgive any of us if something were to happen to the girl," Narcissa stated as she finished her meal. She didn't like talking business over dinner, it was uncouth, but sometimes exceptions had to be made.

"Of course, Cissy. I had already told both Draco and Miss Granger to plan for that," he let loose a light shudder at the apparent thought of Miss Granger involved in a depraved revel. The man leaned back in his chair and stretched his legs in front of him. Narcissa eyed him appreciatively. Ever since her encounter with Greyback several weeks ago, she had been doing that a lot. Enjoying the view the men in her life offered her. Something she was sure she hadn't done since she was a young woman.

"Is there any way Draco could join her?" Narcissa almost whispered. She hadn't even meant to say it out loud, but she was not a stupid woman. She knew just what happened at those revels.

Rodolphus leaned across the table and grasped her hand, "I'm afraid not, dear."

Narcissa nodded and straightened her spine. Her son was strong. He would be able to handle attending another revel.

"Severus, tell me about Miss Granger? I'm concerned she isn't what my son needs in a mate," Narcissa commanded as she levitated a decanter of wine to the table and began to pour for the three of them. Rodolphus always appreciated a good wine and while Severus usually wasn't one to indulge, he was staying for the bulk of the holidays and nodded his thanks at her when his glass was filled.

Severus smirked, "That little act she put on this afternoon was just that, an act. She is the brightest witch in her year and devious to boot. I had always thought she would have made an excellent Slytherin had she not been a mudblood."

"Really?" Rodolphus asked. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "She certainly fooled both Bella and I. I had to listen to Bella the rest of the afternoon go on about her plans to destroy the mudblood." He leaned forward onto the table, resting his elbows atop as he swirled the wine in his glass around.

Narcissa gasped, "Rodolphus, you mustn't let Bella anywhere near her!"

"Calm yourself, Cissy. I have no plans of letting Bella have her way with the girl. That's what revels are for. Besides, the Dark Lord himself has extended his protection to the girl as a courtesy to Greyback," Rodolphus told her and patted her hand again.

Narcissa breathed a small sigh of relief. The Dark Lord's protection was powerful and she was thankful that Greyback was savvy enough to gain it for both his Beta and his Beta's mate. She wondered if this meant she would need to thank Greyback in some way. Which, inevitably, led to thoughts on what had occurred in her solar a few weeks ago. Narcissa fought the blush that threatened to rise, but Severus had always been very perceptive.

"Cissy, what are you thinking of?" he murmured, his velvety voice giving her a flash of sweaty limbs writhing on silky sheets.

"Nothing that can be spoken of in polite company. If you'll excuse me, gentleman," she said tightly and stood to leave.

Both Severus and Rodolphus stood with her. Severus escorted her to the door and grasped her hand unexpectedly. He lifted it to his lips and gave it the barest of kisses.

"Until tomorrow then," he softly smirked, using that same tone. This time, Narcissa could not stop the blush that rose to her pale cheeks. She nodded and swept from the room.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Hello! It's been a while, sorry about that. Hope you all are having a great summer! You can find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff. I post a manip for every chapter. So check it out!**

 **Big thanks to beta extraordinaire, brownlark42, she's like driving down the road with your windows down and your favorite song on the radio.**

 **As always, I love to hear your thoughts, so drop me a line!**

 **And I had to break this chapter into two parts. So the second part should be coming out in a couple of weeks. Enjoy!**

* * *

Draco flopped heavily onto his bed in his childhood bedroom. Its decor hadn't changed for as long as he could remember - Slytherin greens and dark browns covered the room. He stared up at the green canopy as Hermione walked around the space. She opened the door to the bathroom and tossed a grin at him.

"I'm thinking we can put that tub to good use," she said. Draco sat up on his elbow to look at his mate. She was beautiful with her wind-tossed hair. He loved the color. It wasn't just brown, but it had lighter and darker dimensions, and in the candlelight of his room it almost shimmered.

"Now?" he asked as he stood from the bed. He moved toward her, kicking off his shoes as he went.

Hermione responded by tugging her shirt out from the waistband of her skirt and began unbuttoning it.

"No time like the present," she replied as she tossed the shirt from her shoulders. Draco frowned as he spotted the long scar that marred her torso. He didn't regret killing Dolohov, not anymore, but it still upset him that his mate had been hurt and he didn't do anything to protect her. Draco shook his head to clear his thoughts, now wasn't the time to mull over his mistakes. He began unbuttoning his own shirt.

Draco grinned at her and then pulled his shirt over his head. Hermione turned from him and entered the bathroom, stepping out of her skirt and knickers. She turned on the taps of the tub. It was a large tub - not as large as the one in the prefect's bathroom - but big enough for two people to be comfortable. She managed to get the bubbles working and slid into the hot water with a hiss. Draco quickly tore off his pants and joined her.

He laid back against the wall of the tub and reached for Hermione to lay her back against his chest. He brought his arms around her and hugged her to him. Then he put his hands on her thighs, swirling them around, closer to her treasure, and then farther away, teasing her. They stayed there for a few moments, enjoying the heat and the comfort of each other.

"Draco, it's going to be ok, right? Me being here, I mean?" Hermione asked. Her voice was small and Draco could tell how terrified she was. His mate was so brave, walking into a snake pit like this. He nuzzled into her hair at the crook of her shoulder, breathing in her scent. She still smelled delicious after all these weeks - he'd never tire of it.

"Of course, it's going to be ok. I'm here to protect you. And Snape's here. I know Greyback's a monster, but he'll protect you too," Draco told her as he tightened his arms around her. "You're safe with me, love," he kissed the side of her neck.

"I love you," Hermione told him. She turned in his arms and straddled his hips, her knees on either side of him, the water sloshed gently with her movements.

Draco trailed his hands up from her legs, up her sides, and cupped her breasts. He offered her a smirk before he leaned in and licked her nipple. She moaned in response and arched her back, offering herself to him. Draco pinched her nipple with his hand, as he sucked on the other one and rolled it around with his tongue. He was rewarded by Hermione rolling her hips, and dragging her heat across his rapidly hardening cock. The hot water, the steam, and Hermione's hot body was all enough to make him stand at attention.

"Gods, Draco," Hermione moaned. She gripped the back of his head tightly even as she reached between them to palm his shaft. She aligned herself and sank down on him. Draco groaned at the feel of sliding into her slick warmth. She was even hotter than the water that surrounded them.

"Fuck," he panted. "You're so tight." He rolled his hips upward as he slid his hands down to her waist. He pulled her up and slammed her back down again and this time they both gasped. Some water splashed out of the tub, but Draco ignored it in favor of giving Hermione's breasts more attention with his mouth.

"Tell me how you feel, tell me what you want," Draco muttered as he lifted her again. This time she rolled her hips as she descended and Draco felt his eyes roll back. She was so good, this was so good. The water in the tub was splashing in time with their combined rocking.

"You, I want you," Hermione sighed. "Fill me up, feels good."

"Mate," Draco hissed as he pumped his hips to meet her downward stroke. A particularly large splash landed outside of the tub.

"Mate, yours," Hermione agreed. She slid her arms from his shoulders up to his hair and pulled. Draco found himself facing her and her half-lidded eyes were almost enough to do him in. He surged forward and met her lips with his own. He devoured her lips, exploring her mouth and tangling their tongues.

"More," Hermione murmured. Draco pulled back and lifted her again and again. Watching her bounce up and down on his cock was enough. He brought his hand down to swipe at her clit. Water was freely splashing around them now, the floor was soaked, but neither Draco or Hermione cared.

"Come, mate," he commanded her and she did, screaming out her orgasm. Draco followed shortly after with a grunt.

"Fuck, 'Mione," Draco muttered as he gathered her into his arms and held her close.

"Mmm, love you," she said with a small kiss to his chest. Draco nodded his agreement as he stroked his hand up and down her back. He loved her more than he could express in words. He would do anything for his mate. The water in the tub slowly grew calm as they rested their weary bodies.

* * *

The following day Draco brought Hermione down to meet the pack. He hadn't really planned on having her meet them, but he was getting bored in his room. He was itching to get out and do something, and he figured the pack would be safe enough for Hermione. And he wouldn't have to subject her to his mother. He loved his mother, but he could also read her. The look she had on her face when she met Hermione was enough for Draco to know that his mother didn't really care about his mate. Draco didn't much care what his mother thought, but he wouldn't subject Hermione to anyone who didn't really like her.

The pack was sure to like her. Mates were rare. So very rare. And a pack that had a wolf with a mate would protect that mate with everything they had. Draco knew this, and he figured it was as good a time as any to get the introductions over with. He also had an ulterior motive. If the pack knew Hermione's scent, they would remember it. They would protect her in the future if necessary. And it would be easier for them to protect her if they knew what she smelled and looked like.

He walked into the old dueling court and grinned to see Rand and Udolf sparring. This was what Draco needed. He hoped he'd get a chance to spar with some of his pack throughout the rest of the Yule holidays.

"Pup!" Greyback cried out when he spotted Draco and Hermione.

"And Pup's mate," he said as he got closer. He pulled Draco in for a hug, which Draco returned with a sinking feeling. It was times like these that Draco didn't want to betray Greyback at all. He was a wonderful Alpha when he was focussed on being Alpha.

Greyback pulled Hermione into a hug next and she let out a squeak as she looked at Draco with wide eyes. Draco grinned to reassure her.

The commotion brought the pack over and introductions were made.

"Our Beta is home for the next few weeks. He's brought his mate with him. We should celebrate!" Greyback announced. At the mention of his mate, the pack cheered and Hermione was brought around to meet each of them.

"Welcome home, Beta," Rand said as he stood next to Draco. They were watching Hermione speak with Seff, and Draco couldn't keep the grin off his face.

"How are things here, Rand?" Draco asked. Rand hummed and Draco turned to look at the other man. He had a dark look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Draco asked. Rand glanced at the rest of the pack and pulled Draco further aside.

"Greyback," Rand whispered. Draco stiffened and pulled Rand even further away from the pack.

"What did he do?" Draco asked Rand once they were out of earshot of the rest of the pack. Greyback had ordered a feast be brought in for lunch and the pack was taking full advantage.

"There was a revel a few weeks ago. He didn't cover his tracks as well as he has in the past," Rand hedged. Draco winced. He knew what Greyback did at revels. And he was sure Rand knew that Draco knew.

"What do you mean, in the past? Do you know how Greyback acts at a revel?" Draco asked Rand. This could be a good opportunity for him if he could get Rand on his side. Rand carried a lot of weight in the pack. He was the pseudo-Beta in Draco's absence.

"Greyback didn't bite me to be in his pack, Beta," Rand said. Draco inhaled quickly. Using his official title meant business.

"I thought that everyone here was bit with the creation of the pack in mind. Greyback had pack-sickness and needed to create one," Draco replied.

"Aye, that's true for most. Not me. He bit me as a child. I needed a pack, and he bit me again as an adult to become pack. I remember him from my childhood. I've always known Greyback wasn't a good man," Rand told Draco as he ran a hand through his hair, "I thought he had changed," he muttered.

Draco looked at Rand grimly, "Who else knows?"

"Mingan, Seff, a few others. There was almost an uprising when he walked in here reeking of blood, shit, and come," Rand's hand clenched at his side. The aggression in the other wolf was clear. He could only imagine what the pack thought when they smelled Greyback that night.

"Fuck!" Draco exclaimed and paced away from Rand. He had to think. This was not a complication they needed. He wanted to take over the Alpha-ship, but Draco knew he wasn't ready. Not even close to ready. He didn't have the pack behind him, not yet, not really. Not in any way that mattered to become Alpha. He'd have to leave or finish school to be Alpha. Could he really give up Hogwarts to lead his pack? Draco thought he could. His pack was second only to his mother.

"I'm not strong enough to take him, and I won't be ready before I have to go back to Hogwarts," Draco muttered.

"I know. It's too bad you're still just a pup, in both senses," Rand replied, his voice was resigned and Draco wished that he was stronger, more capable, ready to become Alpha.

"Can you hold the pack together?" Draco asked. He needed the allies, and Rand would make an excellent ally when the time came.

"Maybe... it was near mutiny though. If he fucks up again, the pack will split," Rand warned.

"I'll talk to him," Draco promised. He had to figure out a way to keep the pack together until he could take over.

"And after? After this war? What then?" Rand asked. Draco could appreciate someone with an eye for the future. The war wasn't going to last forever, as Hermione liked to point out.

"I'm working on it," Draco said cryptically. He couldn't afford to tell Rand more. What they were speaking of was already near treason for a pack.

"Are you planning a takeover?" Rand's question was blunt and Draco didn't appreciate the implication. If Rand was secretly more loyal to Greyback than he was the rest of the pack, he could take Draco out with a question like that. Draco had no desire to leave the pack nor be pushed out by a wolf who didn't even want to be Beta when he easily could be.

"I'm not sure we should be having this conversation," Draco scowled.

"I'm not going to be part of a pack led by a madman," Rand replied. That at least Draco could identify with. He was glad Rand had clarified his motives.

"I'm not a madman," Draco replied. "I am working on it. I need you to hold the pack together for me while I figure it out. I have a plan."

"Fine, but keep me in the loop, yeah?" Rand asked. Draco nodded and they shook hands before heading back to the feast.

Draco spent the rest of the afternoon with his pack and his mate. He sparred with several pack members, including Seff and Udolf. He hadn't felt this relaxed since before becoming a werewolf.

Draco eventually found a spot next to Hermione, who had been speaking with Mingan about the history of werewolves and pack sickness.

"Draco, did you know that werewolves without a pack almost all get pack sickness? And that the lone werewolf stereotype is not only extremely rare, but they've never been documented in werewolf lore?" Hermione asked him, speaking a mile a minute.

Draco chuckled. She loved learning new things and he loved seeing her light up when she did.

"I do know that already, and I know a few other things," he leaned in close like he was going to tell her a secret, "I'm a werewolf," he whispered.

Hermione's peal of laughter echoed around the dueling court and most of the pack who had been watching the pair joined in. It was a light-hearted day in the middle of a cold, dark war with winter approaching. Draco looked around the room and smiled contentedly at the scene.

* * *

That night Draco and Hermione had a private dinner with Greyback. Draco was reluctant to involve Hermione, but Greyback insisted he wanted to know her better. He was acting the werewolf and not the Death Eater, and Draco had a hard time resisting his Alpha.

They met in Greyback's tent in the dueling court and Seff served them dinner before bowing out of the tent.

"Seff, he's the Omega?" Hermione asked Draco.

"Aye," Greyback replied to her. "Every pack needs an Omega. The Omega keeps the pack together and absorbs excess aggression."

"Absorbs aggression? What does that mean?" Hermione asked. Draco smiled at the perplexed expression on her face. He knew she wouldn't be pleased with the answer, but it was the way of werewolves.

Greyback laughed, "Pup tells me you're smart, I'm sure you can figure it out."

Draco watched as Hermione thought about it for a moment and saw the moment it clicked and the horror that crossed her face, "You mean… you…" she sputtered, she couldn't quite get the words out.

"Depends on the pack, Hermione," Draco explained. "We've got a good pack, and most aggression is taken out during full moons and sparring between moons. Packs with poor leadership allow more aggression to be taken out on the Omega."

Understanding dawned on Hermione and she nodded, "You don't let the others beat up on poor Seff? He's half the size of most of you!"

Greyback laughed, "No, Seff spars plenty. And he's mighty quick too. But I've built my pack with purpose, choosing good werewolves with steady constitutions to be part of it," Greyback told her with obvious pride. Draco smiled, feeling that pride sweep through the collective and fill him up. They shared a look and it wasn't lost on Hermione.

"What was that? That look? Was that the collective? Are you feeling emotions through it?" Hermione's questions made them both laugh.

"Are you writing a book?" Greyback asked, his eyebrows raised in incredulity.

Draco laughed, but Hermione replied seriously, "No, but I might! There's next to nothing written about werewolves and their culture. The little amount of time I've spent around Draco and your pack is fascinating."

"Our pack. It's your pack too, sweetheart," Greyback smirked at Hermione. Draco didn't like the pet name and shot a warning glare at Greyback, who nodded back in reply.

"Our pack," Hermione replied with a bit of wonder in her voice. "I've never been a part of something like this before. You seem to be as close as a family."

"We are a family. Pack, family, they mean the same thing to a werewolf," Greyback told her.

Draco knew how little family Hermione had left and that she wasn't particularly close to her parents. Not since becoming a witch. They had many conversations regarding her sorrow of not being able to share her world with them. He threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. It meant a lot to her to be included in something like this. Even if Greyback was the Alpha of this pack.

Dinner continued as they discussed pack dynamics and histories. Hermione found it all enthralling and Draco could see she was itching to take notes. Finally, he summoned her some parchment and a quill and that's exactly what she did.

"If you ever do write a book someday, make sure to run it by your mate or another werewolf. Can't have all our secrets spilled to the outside," Greyback laughed as Draco and Hermione were leaving his tent late that night. Hermione grinned and agreed. Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her along with him to his tent several feet over.

"Not your room?" Hermione asked as they entered the tent.

"Not this time of night, too many Death Eaters between here and there," Draco scowled at the thought of who was in his house at the moment. Hermione nodded and didn't say anything else.

They settled down for sleep in the small bed in Draco's tent, with Hermione practically lying atop him.

"Besides, where do you think you're spending the full moon?" Draco asked her sleepily.

"Not your room?" Hermione guessed.

Draco chuckled deep in his throat and wrapped his arms tighter around her, "Nope, I want you close when I get back in the morning."

Hermione nodded and they soon were both asleep.

* * *

It was finally Christmas Eve and Draco was equal parts nervous and excited about the ball that night. He wasn't sure how Hermione's reception would go. The ball was basically their coming out party to the Sacred Twenty-Eight families who weren't inner circle Death Eaters. The couple hadn't even officially come out at school yet.

Maybe Draco hadn't thought this through. How was he to parade Hermione around their schoolmates who didn't know they were dating? Or that Draco was a werewolf and Hermione was his mate? What had he been thinking? Hermione couldn't attend the ball, not as his date at least.

He hurried to his mother's rooms where she had insisted Hermione ready herself for the ball. Draco's mother had a personal house elf that she swore was a French hair designer in an elf's body. Draco wasn't too sure on that, but it was best not to fight his mother on certain things. Beauty was one of those.

"Mother!" Draco shouted as he entered her suite of rooms at the end of the hall. Hermione and the house elf, Elvis, were nowhere in sight, but his mother came barreling out of her dressing room with her wand raised.

"Draco, what is it?" Narcissa asked urgently.

"Who's coming to the ball tonight?" Draco asked.

"Oh, is that all?" Narcissa asked and lowered her wand. She guided Draco to the settee by the window and poured them both a cup of tea.

"I invited the Sacred Twenty-Eight and your brethren, but not the pack," Narcissa frowned. "Should I have included the pack?"

"No, it's fine, Mother," Draco shook his head. "I meant, who of the Sacred Twenty-Eight is coming? Nobody at school knows about Hermione and me, and I've kept me being a werewolf and Death Eater secret from everyone. I don't think Hermione should come to the ball. I'm not going to leave her alone, either, so I think it would be best if neither of us attended."

"Oh, well, only the Death Eaters are attending. Everybody else replied with a no," Narcissa replied. Draco thought she sounded sad, but he was ecstatic. If fewer people knew about what was going on in his house, things would be much better after the war ended.

"It's probably for the best, Mother," Draco reminded her as he patted her hand and drained his cup of tea.

"Is Hermione still here? I'd…"

"You can't see her yet! Elvis isn't finished taming that dreadful hair. You must wait until she's dressed and ready to go down to the ball," Narcissa commanded.

"All right, all right," Draco placated his mother. He would never stand between her and one of her beauty projects. Even if that project was Hermione.

He left his mother with a kiss on her cheek and went back to his own rooms. He was pleased that the only other person staying in the family wing was Snape. It meant he didn't have to see any of the Death Eaters who were occupying the guest wing unless he left the family wing. In the week he and Hermione had been at the Manor, they only left the family wing to go down to the dueling court. They had successfully avoided all Death Eaters and Dark Lords currently in residence. Unfortunately, tonight their presence was going to be required at an event that was exclusively Death Eaters and the Dark Lord.

Draco glanced at the clock and realized the ball would be starting within an hour. He stripped as he headed toward the shower. He had tried on his dress robes earlier in the week and was pleased that with a few minor transfiguration spells, they would still fit his larger frame. He was glad his mother had thought to buy him a set of dress robes in a larger size to accommodate his new body.

He stepped out of the shower and into the steamy bathroom when he realized he wasn't alone. His Aunt Bella was standing in the doorway and she had her wand in his hand. He reached for his towel and just as he grasped it, it went flying toward his aunt.

She tutted at him, "Alone, at last, dear nephew," Aunt Bella crooned. Draco cringed and went to cover himself from her greedy gaze.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Aunt Bella shouted and suddenly Draco couldn't move. He wobbled for a moment before he steadied. He was glad he'd planted his feet and hadn't crashed to the ground. He was utterly helpless to stop his aunt. He began trying to wiggle his fingers or his toes to see if he could break the spell.

"You _are_ beautiful," Aunt Bella commented as she walked forward. She placed both hands on Draco's chest, keeping hold of her wand as she felt him up. Draco winced and tried to recoil from her touch, but was unable to move. She licked his chest, just a small lick right in the center at his sternum. If Draco had the ability, he would have shuddered in revulsion. As it was, he stood stock still. He was glad that in his current position, he couldn't become aroused. The magic would override the physical body. He just hoped that someone would find him before she went too far.

Aunt Bella was circling him now, dragging her hands across the planes of his body. She even slapped his arse.

"Shall I ease up on the spell, Draco?" Aunt Bella said as she cupped his cock and stroked his balls with her fingers. Draco thought he might vomit at the look on her face. What would happen to him if he did vomit in his present situation? Would the magic override that impulse too? Or would he choke on his own vomit? His mouth was closed; there was no escape for it.

"What in the world is going on?" Hermione shrieked from the doorway. She flicked her wand and the steam in the bathroom disappeared, leaving the sickening tableau in full display. Draco was standing stock still with his hands attempting to cover himself, and his Aunt Bella had one hand on his cock as her tongue twirled around his right nipple.

Hermione was beautiful in bright red dress robes that fell to the floor with ruffles down the skirt. She had a red lip to match and her hair was pulled back from her face, but left to flow down her shoulders in soft ringlets. Draco couldn't help the embarrassment that flooded through him. And that he was powerless to do anything about it.

"Draco?" Hermione asked. Draco tried to shoot her a pleading look, but he couldn't move. He was trying his hardest to break the spell, but nothing was happening.

"Care to join us, mudblood?" Aunt Bella asked. "Draco seems to be having fun," she punctuated that with a rather long pull on Draco's cock. He winced internally.

"I… no… I mean…" Hermione seemed at a lost for words. Draco felt the small toe on his left foot move. He was succeeding. Either Aunt Bella was distracted by Hermione or the spell wasn't very strong. Slowly he could feel some of the power come back to his limbs. It presented other problems, though, Aunt Bella's administrations were stirring something inside him. He willed himself to think of anything to stop his cock from hardening.

"I'll just… I'm going to go, ok?" Hermione said and she bolted from the room. Draco wanted to hang his head in shame, but his muscles weren't quite his own yet.

"Good, I'll take you all to myself," Aunt Bella smirked up at him. Draco did feel his lip curl slightly as her sour breath washed his face.

She began kissing her way down his torso and Draco was finally able to close his eyes, but he still couldn't move his arms or hands.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Beta love to brownlark42. She turned this around super fast, just for you guys!**

 **Normally my author's notes are housekeeping items. I don't usually address reviews, as I need to spend my limited amount of free time writing. But after the last chapter, I do feel like I had to expound on Hermione for a moment.**

 **She is 17 in this fic. 17. Remember what you were like when you were 17? (And if you are 17 - in a few years, you'll look back on your life and realize all the growing up and maturing you've done since then.) She's a teenager. She is not some badass, boss witch who is going to know how to handle herself in every situation she comes across. Not only that, but I'm 31 and I still freeze with inaction sometimes, over the littlest things! Do I interrupt the meeting? Should I wait till they are done? I don't know!**

 **Also - on the subject of Hermione being a badass, boss witch. She is! She totally is. But again, she's a teenager. And nobody is perfect. Nobody has the perfect response to every situation that gets thrown at them. We also see the scene from Draco's POV, so we don't know what's going on with Hermione. Does she even have her wand? We don't know!**

 **I needed to get that off my chest after several reviews from the last chapter. And the use of a cliffhanger, I get that it's a cheap plot device, but literally, every writer does it. I try not to do it often, but this was too long to be one chapter, and that was a good breaking spot.**

 **Ok, mini-rant over. I do want to thank everyone who takes the time to read and review my work. I do appreciate hearing your thoughts and would love for you all to review this chapter as well. In fact, I'm posting it a bit earlier than I had planned. I like to try and keep my updates evenly spaced if possible, and Chapter 27 is not even close to being ready but after the response to the last chapter. I wanted to get this up sooner rather than later.**

 **No manip for this chapter. I didn't have time to make one. But you can still find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

" _I'll just… I'm going to go, ok?" Hermione said and she bolted from the room. Draco wanted to hang his head in shame, but his muscles weren't quite his own yet._

" _Good, I'll take you all to myself," Aunt Bella smirked up at him. Draco did feel his lip curl slightly as her sour breath washed his face._

 _She began kissing her way down his torso and Draco was finally able to close his eyes, but he still couldn't move his arms or hands._

* * *

It was then that the door to his suite blasted open, and Snape and Uncle Rodolphus stood in the doorway with Hermione hovering just behind.

"What in the bleeding hell are you doing, Bella?" Uncle Rodolphus shouted as he grabbed his wife by the upper arm and yanked her away from Draco. Draco desperately wanted to sigh in relief, but couldn't.

Draco stood frozen for a moment longer before Snape realized he'd been petrified and canceled the spell. He tossed a towel at Draco, while Hermione pushed from behind Snape to reach him. Draco just managed to cover himself before she threw her arms around him and asked if he was alright. He could only nod.

"I've told you before, Bella, you are a Lestrange now. Not a Black. No incest. He's your nephew for Merlin's sake! It's disgusting," Uncle Rodolphus lectured as he pushed Aunt Bella out of Draco's suite.

Draco looked from the pair to his godfather, "Thanks," he muttered. It was humiliating to be caught out like this. He should be better. But he also thought he would be safe in the family wing.

"She tripped the family wing wards. Your mother was tracking me down at the same time Miss Granger found me. Do be sure to keep a wand on you," Snape glared down at him. Draco nodded and dropped his gaze to the top of Hermione's head. She still had her arms around him and was hugging him fiercely. He felt like he needed another shower.

"All the same, thank you, Severus," Draco replied and extended his hand. Snape raised his eyebrow at him, nodded, and left, leaving Draco with his hand hanging in the air. He ran it through his drying hair instead and then pushed Hermione from him so he could see her face.

"Thank you, too. For realizing what was going on. I…" he couldn't finish.

"Oh, Circe, I was terrified when I found her in here with you! I didn't know if it was just petrification or if she had Imperiused you or was using some spell I've never seen. I'm so glad Professor Snape and Mr. Lestrange were there to help. And I wasn't sure if I could break character and hex her..." Hermione rambled.

Draco let her go as they moved back out into his suite. Snape had repaired his door on the way out and Draco felt another wave of gratitude wash through him. For all the man's poor personality and bad attitude, he truly was an excellent godfather.

Hermione wrung her hands nervously as Draco showered again - quickly this time - and then dressed for the ball. The last thing he wanted to do was go downstairs and glad-hand Death Eater's while they all laughed behind his back for being a werewolf, for being saddled with a mudblood, for being impure. He'd much rather take Hermione away for Christmas, showering her with all the gifts he'd bought her, making love to her. That sounded like the perfect Christmas.

As they made their way downstairs, Draco briefed Hermione on what was going to happen over the next few hours. "Any of the Death Eaters know I'm a werewolf. I haven't come right out and told Pansy or Theo or anyone at school, though. They might be here and they might have heard from their fathers. They believe that you are my 'assignment' from the Dark Lord. So, put on a show, act enthralled and simpering. Just play it like you did when you arrived and you'll be fine. The Dark Lord will be here, but I don't know if you'll have to greet him or not," hesitated, "If you do, don't make eye contact. He's a master Legilimens and he'll read you just from the eye contact alone."

Hermione nodded, "Ok, could we have talked about this before right now?" Her voice was only slightly panicked.

"I didn't want to overwhelm you," Draco said.

Hermione laughed uneasily, "Not overwhelmed at all."

"I know, I'm sorry, but you'll do great. Act like a bitch, and pretend you can't get enough of me," Draco grinned down at her, "and you'll do fine."

Hermione smiled then took a deep breath and let a mask fall in place. Draco admired her ability to conceal her thoughts and feelings. It's true she was a Gryffindor, but she had a commendable capability of playing the Slytherin when she wanted to. It was almost scary. Brilliant, but scary.

"We're hosting, so we'll be standing in the receiving line for the first portion. Then there will be dancing and a dinner buffet. At least Mother decided to forgo the formal dinner this year," Draco explained as the reached the ballroom and he opened the door for Hermione. Hermione just nodded, her mask still in place.

Draco grinned at her, "We'll sneak out early, I have something planned." Hermione's mask fell at that and she gave him a brief, but genuine smile before they entered the ballroom and greeted Draco's mother.

The receiving line was shorter than it had been in previous years, with all the cancellations from families that didn't follow the Dark Lord. He was pleased with Hermione's performance - she was equal parts demure and coquettish. She fawned and giggled at all the right times and offered her hand when necessary. He was almost impressed with the pure-bloods' ability to hide their distaste. Of course, some weren't able to completely hide it. But Fenrir had made it clear to them that Hermione was under his protection, per the Dark Lord. It seemed they had listened well.

The last person through the receiving line was the Dark Lord himself. He greeted Narcissa, who knelt to him. Draco followed with a kiss to his robes. Hermione bowed her head and curtsied, but did not kneel. Draco's hands shook in trepidation at her actions, but part of him was also proud of her for doing what she could to stand up to the madman who wanted people like her dead.

"Hermione Granger," the Dark Lord hissed as Hermione came out of her curtsey. She kept her gaze down and Draco didn't stand until the Dark Lord flicked his hand. Draco reached out, still trembling, and gave Hermione's hand a squeeze. Hoping to give her some courage and maybe get some strength from her in return.

"Lord Voldemort," Hermione nodded to him, keeping her eyes on his chin. Draco cringed and gripped Hermione's hand tighter. She was playing with fire. Why didn't he coach her better than this? He made to pull her to him, but then the Dark Lord chuckled. Draco was just able to stop his jaw from hitting the floor in shock.

"I would expect nothing lesss from a Gryffindor," the Dark Lord smirked down at Draco's mate. Draco felt his breath leave his body. Thank Merlin, Circe, Nimue, and all the gods above that the Dark Lord found her amusing. _Please don't say anything foolish. We're almost through this. Please be smart, come on, Hermione._ Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He was now clutching Hermione's hand so tightly his knuckles were white. He felt her tug at him, but he refused to let go. She was his anchor and he was sure he'd fall to the ground in terror if he let go.

"How isss Harry?" the Dark Lord asked. He reached out and grasped Hermione's chin, forcing her to look him in the eye.

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ , Draco chanted in his head. _We're fucking dead._ Draco could only stare and watch as the Dark Lord went through Hermione's head with Legilimency. He was working hard to keep the wince off his face. His body broke out in a cold sweat as it went on and on.

For her part, Hermione was staring at the Dark Lord defiantly. Her chin was tilted at an angle Draco knew well. Her brows were furrowed in concentration.

After a few more agonizing moments, Hermione spoke, "Kindly stay out of my head, sir. Harry is well. As is Professor Dumbledore, who expects me back to the school in a few days."

The Dark Lord laughed again, high and shrill, and turned away from them. Draco almost fainted with the relief that flooded through him. His limbs shivered as the Dark Lord's gaze moved across the mass of Death Eaters. He took her hand and roughly tucked her arm under his own, firmly holding her to his body. He felt her tense, but it was the closest he could get to her and still maintain formal etiquette. He had been terrified the Dark Lord was going to kill her for what he saw in her mind. His lips thinned as he pressed them together and ground his teeth waiting for a moment he could pull her away. He needed to have several words with her after that stunt.

"Death Eatersss, followersss, friendsss!" The Dark Lord addressed the gathering. All bowed down to him. "Sssee now, Hermione Granger isss under my protection. Ssshe is mate to one of our own, Draco Malfoy. Do her no harm. Let'sss celebrate!" He clapped his hands and banners of the Dark Mark fell from the ceiling and hung about the room. A cheer went up and the musician-less instruments began to play in the corner of the room.

As soon as the Dark Lord had moved off, Draco pulled Hermione after him out into the hallway.

"What in seven hells were you thinking? Are you trying to get us killed?" Draco shouted at her. He was still shaking as the adrenaline coursed through him. Hermione glared up at him.

She yanked herself from his grasp and crossed her arms in front of her. Her chest was heaving with pent up frustration as she lashed out at him.

"Listen here, Draco Malfoy, I may be under that monster's…" Draco slapped a hand over her mouth and looked over his shoulder. Hermione bit his hand and he growled at her. He snatched her arm again and dragged her further along the hallway until they came to a nondescript, almost hidden door. He threw open the door and pushed Hermione through it before slamming it closed behind him.

"Fuck, you really are trying to get us killed," Draco muttered angrily as he warded the room. He stowed his wand and turned back to Hermione, but she was ready for him.

"What do you think he would have done had I knelt before him? Had I shown I was scared of him? Or deferential? I can tell you what he would have done. He would have delved so deeply into my mind that I wouldn't have been able to get him out. He would have instantly suspected a trap. The Dark Lord isn't a fool, Draco. I played it right, as you can see. We're both alive, aren't we? Your mother is alive?"

He started to answer her, but she cut him off, "Yes. We're all alive. He was amused by my defiance. He thinks that only someone arrogant and stupid, or someone with nothing to hide, would be that brash, that defiant. He sees me as this tiny bug, this annoyance he has to put up with because of you. That's it. He doesn't see me as a threat. He might see me as a possible source of information for Harry. Do you know what I showed him when he was looking into my mind?" Hermione asked him. She was so angry, sparks flickered in her hair and her hands were on her hips. Draco couldn't help but feel a wash of love at her appearance, at her fierceness. _Gods above, I love her._ He shook his head to clear his thoughts. He may love the witch, but right now, she was infuriating

"You… you might get see my weaker side sometimes. But my mind is strong. My magic is strong. I showed him Harry being upset about Sirius. I showed him all of Harry's anger and sadness from the last few months. I didn't show him Harry being happy, or Harry having a good day. Or Harry thinking about how to make things better, how to fight for the people he loves. Don't take me for one of your idiotic Slytherin's who will protect only their own hide, Draco Malfoy. I may be bonded to you, but I am still Harry's best friend. I am still fighting against that, that… that fucking megalomaniac!" she was shouting now.

Draco couldn't help himself he strode forward and gathered her in his arms. He was kissing her before he realized that was his intention. Fuck, it didn't matter how mad he was. Not when she looked like that. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. He felt all the anger drain away as he delved his tongue into her mouth.

"I know, I know," he murmured over and over again between kisses. She responded, winding her own arms around his neck and returned his kisses with equal fervor.

Suddenly, they broke apart, panting. Someone was pounding on the door. His body was trembling now with lust instead of fear and anger. He leaned his forehead against hers and took a deep breath. There was more pounding on the door. He gave her a small smile, whirled around, and flung the door open.

Pansy Parkinson was standing behind the door with her hands on her green clad hips. She was wearing a slinky ballroom gown in Slytherin green.

"The ball has barely started and you two are hiding out already?" Pansy asked.

Draco gaped at her. Whoever he thought had been knocking, it hadn't been Pansy. She rolled her eyes and pushed past him. Her silk dress swishing as she strode into the room.

"Lookin' good, Granger," Pansy told Hermione. Draco turned to look at the pair and narrowed his eyes as Pansy hooked her arm through Hermione's.

"Thank you, Parkinson. You look lovely," Hermione replied with a sideways smile. The two witches walked out of the parlor and back to the ballroom, leaving Draco alone. His best friend just stole his date from him. And Pansy hadn't been shocked or upset. Draco knew he was going to hear it from her later about keeping secrets. Pansy hated secrets. Well, in fact, she loved secrets. She just hated when they were kept from her.

It took him a moment to gather his wits, and when he left the parlor, Pansy and Hermione were nowhere to be seen. He headed to the ballroom to look for his mate and his best friend.

When he entered the ballroom, couples were already swirling around the dance floor giving him the impression of bright splotches of paint moving in harmony with the music. He gazed around for Hermione and finally spotted her and Pansy laughing in the corner. Draco smiled faintly at the sight. He was hoped that meant they were getting along. They were both important to him. He didn't want to intervene, but he saw Theo Nott approaching the pair. Theo Nott was not a nice boy.

"Pansy… and Mudblood," Theo sneered. Draco came up behind, lifted his hand, and slapped Theo on the shoulder harder than was strictly necessary.

"Theo, my man, how are you?" Draco asked as he squeezed Theo's shoulder. Theo turned and narrowed his eyes up at Draco, who squeezed harder. He smirked down at Theo, willing him to break. Theo finally winced under the pressure. He removed his hand at once and then drew Hermione to his side.

"A werewolf and a mudblood. How the Dark Lord can stand the pair of you, I don't know," Theo mocked. His features were twisted in an ugly sneer and Draco was about to retort when Hermione beat him to it.

Hermione laughed, "You do know the Dark Lord is a half-blood, don't you Nott?"

Draco smirked and dropped a kiss on the top of Hermione's head. Then he turned and leveled his gaze at Theo. There had been a time when he and Theo were about the same height. But Draco's werewolf traits put an end to that. Draco towered over most people in the room. Pansy took Hermione's other arm. Draco wanted to smile at the solidarity she showed but kept his cool countenance in place. It wouldn't do to show too much emotion in public.

"Shoo, Theo, the adults are talking," Pansy grinned as she waved him away from them. Theo's eyes narrowed into a glare, but he turned and walked back across the ballroom. Draco watched Theo until he saw the other boy strike up a conversation with Graham Montague, who had graduated a few years ago.

"Really, Draco. Did you think nobody had figured out your little secret?" Pansy asked. Her hands were planted on her hips again.

"Which one?" Draco asked as he rubbed the back of his neck in vague embarrassment. He had been so wrapped up in what was going on in his own life he had completely neglected his friends and he knew it.

"Both of them. Please, Malfoy. Blaise and I figured out you were a werewolf back in October. Didn't take a genius to figure out you were 'sick' during full moons. Blaise assumed you and Granger were just shagging with that stunt in Defense. You'll have to explain this mate business to me later. And Granger was basically never in the library anymore? And you couldn't be found either. It wasn't that hard to piece together if you were looking for it," she paused for a moment and tapped her bottom lip with one long manicured finger as she eyed Hermione.

"Do Potter and Weasley know?" Pansy asked.

Draco whooshed out a breath at Pansy's calm acceptance of the facts. He turned to Hermione and gestured for her to answer. Hermione nodded.

"Harry knows everything. Ron knows that Draco is a werewolf, but we didn't think he could handle the mate business. And he since he's started dating Lavender, he's basically never around anymore," Hermione shrugged.

Pansy nodded, "Well, the secret's out now. You'll need to have a plan for when school resumes." She grinned at them both, "Happy Christmas," then spun away and walked toward the bar. Draco frowned faintly after her. She was right - they would need to come up with a plan for when school started again in January. There was no way that arseholes like Nott would keep quiet after tonight.

Draco shook himself to clear his thoughts and turned to ask Hermione to dance. She smiled up at him and nodded. He led her out to the dance floor to a wizarding waltz. He whirled and twirled her around the floor dance after dance. Hermione was as good a dancer as Draco, which seemed unfair given that he'd been in lessons since he was five. They danced for several pieces, enjoying the time they could spend together as teenagers.

Finally, Hermione's yawns couldn't be hidden anymore and Draco guided them off the dance floor.

"Are you ready to retire?" Draco asked. Hermione nodded and gave him a sleepy smile. They said their goodbyes to Draco's mother and Snape. They waved at Pansy, who was still on the dance floor, this time with one of the Flint brothers. They moved together away from the ballroom.

Several corridors later, they stopped in front of a pair of large double doors. Draco hadn't taken Hermione to this part of the Manor before, but he knew he wanted her to see it before they left for the holidays.

He pulled his arm from Hermione's and reached forward to open both doors at the same time. The Malfoy Manor library rivaled the Hogwarts' library in sheer size as well as the breadth of reading material. Pansy wasn't the only one who had noticed Hermione wasn't in the library very much anymore. He suspected she missed it. And he knew that this would be one room in the Manor that Hermione would love.

"Is - is this your library?" Hermione asked as she stepped forward. The awe on her face made him forget everything else that had happened tonight. Draco smiled as she walked slowly into the room and then he shut the doors behind them. He cast a series of wards and called for Tink.

"Bring us two glasses of red wine, and then we are not to be disturbed until morning, Tink. Make sure nobody comes in," Draco said. She was quick with the wine, and silently nodded and bowed before popping away.

"This is incredible, Draco! Did you know you have a first edition copy of A Study into the Possibility of Reversing the Actual and Metaphysical Effects of Natural Death, with Particular Regard to the Reintegration of Essence and Matter? I've been looking for this book for ages," Hermione gushed as she took it down from the shelf and began to leaf through it, letting it fall open on the nearest table.

"You can have it," Draco said quietly as he stood behind her, setting the glasses down next to the book.

"I'd love to borrow it," Hermione replied, she was still studying the book.

"I said have, own, keep forever," Draco said as he moved closer to put his hands on her hips and draw her back into him.

"What?" Hermione asked as she tore her gaze away from the tome and turned in his arms to look at him.

"You can have it. You can have anything in here you want. Consider it yours," Draco said as he bent down to kiss her. Hermione avoided his lips.

"Just what are you saying, Draco?" Hermione asked as she bit her lip.

"I'm saying that whatever of mine you want or need, it's yours. Now let me kiss you, witch," Draco practically growled. He leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. The moment they touched, she melted into him. He gathered her close, he wanted to melt into her embrace and never let go. She opened her mouth to him and their tongues twirled and tangled. He picked her up and set her on the edge of the table, then stepped between her legs, all without breaking the kiss. Draco's veins were burning with his need for his mate. The full moon was close and he could feel Reule pacing in the back of his mind, calling for his mate.

Suddenly, Hermione pulled away from him, "What if someone comes in?"

Draco chuckled, "I've warded the room and told Tink. We'll be fine. Come, I have something else to show you."

Draco pulled her from the table and led her to a roaring fireplace. To the side of the fireplace was a large Christmas tree overflowing with presents, and a large fur rug was spread in front of the fireplace. Draco had taken the time to get this setup before the ball began.

"Our own private Christmas," Draco murmured into Hermione's ear as he pulled her forward to sit on the rug. Once they were seated, he slowly pulled off Hermione's shoes and gave her a light foot rub. She sighed in response and soon Draco was kissing her again. He couldn't seem to get enough of her.

Suddenly, Draco found himself on his back and Hermione was stepping away from him. He grinned when he saw her intention. She unzipped the back of her dress and it slide down her body slowly. She was dressed in just a bra, knickers, and stockings that went up to her thighs. The roaring fire at her back lit up her features. She looked like a goddess as she performed her strip tease.

"Tease," he smirked at her. His cock twitching in anticipation.

"Only if I don't follow through," Hermione replied with her own smirk.

"You'd better," Draco growled as he reached up and pulled his naked witch down on top of him. She was straddling him as she began working on his own robes. Instead of helping her, Draco concentrated on the feel of her silken skin in his hands. He ran his hands up and down her sides, down to her thighs and up her back.

"You are overdressed, werewolf," Hermione hissed as Draco teased his thumbs over her nipples. He twirled and twisted until they were hard buds in his hands and she was rocking herself along his torso. He cupped her breasts, thumbing her mate mark, and looked up at her face. She was panting and her eyes were closed. Her hands had fallen still while attempting to disrobe him.

"Gods," she murmured, "the things you do to me."

He growled low in his throat. And began helping her pull his robes off of him. He needed to be naked now. He needed to be impaled inside of his sweet witch.

Soon all their clothes were on the floor, and Hermione was straddling his thighs. His cock was standing proudly, bobbing at his stomach. She was touching him with such feather light strokes it was driving him mad, his cock twitched and danced trying to get her to hold him more firmly. He moved to place her on top of his cock, but she stopped him by pushing a hand against his chest. She smiled sweetly.

"Do you want your present tonight or tomorrow morning?" Hermione asked. She raised her eyebrow at him in a challenge and licked her lips. Draco hoped she was talking about what he thought she was talking about. _Oh gods, Merlin, Circe, and Nimue, please be a blow job_.

"Tonight," he grinned at her wolfishly.

"As you wish, mate," Hermione purred as she dipped her head and swirled her tongue around his cock.

 _Fuck,_ Draco thought as he dropped his head back and enjoyed the sensations. He lifted himself up on one elbow as he reached his other down to place it lightly on the back of her head. His fingers twisted in her hair as he watched his cock disappear into her mouth over and over again. She bobbed her head and twisted her hands on the base of his cock, and he couldn't help but lift his lips a little in time with her movements. His cock had grown in proportion with his body and watching her suck it in was almost enough to make him come then and there. Then she did a swirl with her tongue around his head and he almost choked from pleasure.

"F-fuck, Hermione," Draco panted as he reached for her.

She pulled off him with a 'pop', "I want you to come down my throat." She looked gorgeous with her reddened lips and a bit of saliva running from her mouth to his cock.

 _Gods above,_ Draco thought. He nodded and she leaned down and swirled her tongue around his glans. Then she flashed him a look he didn't understand until she dipped her tongue into his slit. He groaned in response and tightened the hand in her hair. She sucked him in again and created a rhythm between her mouth and her hands, taking him in as far as she could. Her other hand slipped down to his balls and began to play with them. He was close; he could feel his orgasm gathering at the base of his spine. Then she stroked his perineum and swallowed at the same time and Draco suddenly was coming. He couldn't stop himself from pumping into her mouth, fucking her mouth, as he came. She swallowed it all and kept sucking unto Draco was dry. It felt so good, and the sight of her wrapped around him was delicious to behold. He felt that if he kept that picture in his mind, he'd be ready for round two in a few minutes.

"Gods, 'Mione," Draco whimpered when she pulled away and snuggled up to him. "Where did you learn that?"

Hermione laughed, "Witch's talk." And she wouldn't tell him anything more.

When Draco awoke the next morning, Hermione was still nestled in his arms asleep. He leaned back so he could study her face in the early morning light. She was exquisite, he thought as he counted the freckles on her nose. He swept a hand down from her shoulder to her left breast and weighed it. Absently swiping his thumb over her nipple and mate mark. She shivered in her sleep but didn't wake. Draco grinned to himself. He had a chance to return the gift from last night. He rolled her gently so she was on her back and then leaned down and licked each nipple, drawing one and then the other into his mouth, bringing them both to points. Then he kissed his way down her soft belly, stopping to swirl in her navel and continuing to her center.

She was slightly sticky like she had been aroused last night and he groaned at the thought of her being aroused as she sucked him off. He inhaled deeply and couldn't contain his moan at her scent. His cock hardened at thoughts of his witch being aroused.

He teased her nether lips with his finger and tongue before delving his tongue into her quim as far as he could push it. He brought his hand up to swipe at the button at the top of her sex, while his other hand reached even further up to play with one of her taut nipples.

"Gods," she moaned. Draco wasn't sure if she was awake or not yet. He breathed deeply as she released a gush of fluid and kept going, twirling his fingers in time with each other and diving his tongue in and out of her. Her body was responding deliciously, and Draco lapped at her juices.

Suddenly, there was a painful grip in his hair and Draco felt her grind her hips into his face. He grinned, she was awake. Good.

He popped up, "Morning, mate," he grinned at her having stilled his hands. He was sure his face was covered in her come, but he didn't care.

"D-Draco, don't stop," Hermione moaned as she opened her eyes to him.

"Don't stop what?" Draco asked innocently. He lifted the hand from her clitoris to his mouth and slowly drew in a finger to lap up the juices there.

Hermione's hand slid down to caress her own nipples and she dipped one further. Draco could feel his blood pumping at the thought of his mate masturbating, but now wasn't the time for that. He lightly slapped her hands away.

"Don't make me tie you up," Draco warned with a light growl and narrowed eyes.

"Then fuck me already," Hermione cried out as she reached to pull him down for a kiss.

Draco complied and snogged her senseless. Her moan at the taste of herself on his lips had his hips pumping. He aligned himself with her and thrust inside. She keened when he bottomed out. The feel of her wrapped around him was like heaven. He'd never get enough of her wet heat.

"Gods, Granger. You're fucking gorgeous like this," he muttered as he pulled out and pushed back in. He needed a better angle, he knelt and brought her hips close to his while she wrapped her legs around his waist. She was laid out across his thighs and Draco brought a hand down to pinch at her nipples.

"Fucking gorgeous being fucked?" Hermione asked with a breathless laugh. Her hair surrounding her head like an angel.

"Yeah," Draco agreed as he set a sharp rhythm. The angle was good for Hermione because every time he bottomed out inside her she let loose a little yelp. He could feel his cock hitting her cervix, he loved fucking her like this. She lost all control and inhibitions.

"Like that?" Draco growled he could feel the sweat pooling at his lower back. He was panting from the exertion and watched at Hermione's chest heaved. She mewed in response and tightened her legs around him. Her hands flung over her head because she couldn't reach him in this position.

"Fuck, come on, mate. Come for me, gods, mate," Draco chattered as he picked up his pace. He was slamming into her now and the sound of flesh slapping flesh reverberated around the library.

Hermione moaned in response and reached a hand down to play with her clit. The sight was enough to make Draco come and he roared through his orgasm.

Hermione followed shortly after her sob of ecstasy bouncing off the shelves of the library.

* * *

Draco and Hermione had a pleasant morning opening gifts, and then they spent the remainder of Christmas day with Draco's mother and Professor Snape. The conversation was stilted and Draco and Hermione retired early that night to escape the tension. They spent the next few days with the pack and then it was the day of the full moon.

Draco was insatiable leading up to the full moon. He took Hermione every way he could in the days before.

"Gods, Draco, I'm sore," Hermione complained after their most recent bout of lovemaking in the afternoon before the full moon.

"Sorry, love. Let me get you a potion for that," Draco felt a bit sheepish. He'd never had such access to Hermione leading up to a full moon and he felt like he had to take advantage while he could.

He stood from the bed they shared in his tent in the dueling court and rummaged through his potions. The tents were fully stocked with healing, calming, and sleeping potions for the werewolves to utilize throughout their cycle. It was one of the better things that Fenrir did as Alpha. He insisted each of his wolves had whatever they needed at their disposal.

"Don't feel bad, Draco," Hermione smiled up at him. "I want it just as badly as you. It's just, I've never had so much sex before."

Draco grinned at her. Gods, he loved this witch.

"I might be ready to go again," he waggled his eyebrows at her as he returned to their bed with a potion.

Hermione laughed, "I'm not."

Draco chuckled with her, "I really should try to get some sleep before tonight."

"Good, I could use a nap," Hermione yawned as she snuggled into him. Draco pulled her close and soon they were both asleep.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Draco woke with a start and almost fell out of the small bed.

"Up and at 'em, Beta! Moon's about to rise," he heard Seff call from the front of the tent. Draco yawned as he stood up. Hermione mumbled something and snuggled deeper into the covers. He must have really worn her out if she was sleeping through the rising clatter Draco outside the tent.

He bent down and kissed her cheek, "I'll be back in the morning, love."

"Be safe," she muttered as she turned over in her sleep. Draco stripped from his boxers and cast a general warding charm on his tent. He would be allowed to enter, but nobody else. He left his wand in the tent and went to the center of the court with the rest of his pack. He greeted the other wolves on the way.

"Good to see you're still alive, pup," Rand commented. Draco managed to beat down his blush and just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Och, leave 'im 'lone, Rand," Mingan said. "'Tis puppy love!" And the rest of the pack howled with laughter. Draco tried to keep a straight face and glared at them all, but soon he was snorting with laughter too.

"All right, enough of that. Let's go!" Fenrir shouted and led the pack out the doors and to the south wood. It was frigid and the snow on the ground chilled Draco's feet. His teeth began to chatter and he ran a little faster to keep warm.

It wasn't long before they were in the wood and warded in. As soon as the moon was up, the pack was changed. This moon was different. Normally Draco found himself pushed to the back of his mind, unable to see or hear anything around him. Either Reule was lessening his control or Draco had finally learned to accept the werewolf within him. He didn't feel entirely in control all night, but it was better. He was present and aware of his surroundings. It was the best full moon he'd ever had.

In the morning, the pack changed back and shuffled off to the dueling court. Extra heating charms had been placed in the court and the pack enjoyed breakfast before each of them retired to their tent.

Draco trudged into his own tent to find Hermione drinking tea and reading from one of the books she'd taken from the library.

She jumped up when she saw him and pulled him close.

"Oh, Draco, come let's lie down. What potions do you need? How bad was the transformation? Should we double the pain potion?" Hermione fussed as she got him into bed and cast warming charms over him. She dug through the potions supplies while she waited for his answer.

"It was brilliant," Draco grinned tiredly at her.

"Brilliant? What do you mean?" Hermione asked the confusion clear on her face.

"I was present for the whole night. Reule didn't shove me to the back. I wasn't in control, but I was present."

"Oh, that's wonderful! So maybe just a general pain and sleeping potion? I wonder what has changed?" Hermione mused as she smiled at him. Draco shrugged, too drowsy to convey his thoughts. He was asleep before his mate had administered all the potions.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** **Beta love to brownlark42! She's like the first day in the fall you can turn off your air conditioner and open your windows again.**

 **Please note that there is a Death Eater Revel in this chapter. It's bad, dark, triggery, etc. If that will upset you, please skip over it.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, you can find them on my tumbler at crochetawayhpff.**

 **As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Enjoy!**

* * *

Fenrir waited for his pup and his pup's mate in the foyer of Malfoy Manor. He didn't want to be here, but Narcissa insisted on formal greetings and goodbyes. The Granger girl was going back to Hogwarts with Snape, but his pup had to stay here for the New Year's Eve Revel. Fenrir drummed his fingers along his thigh in anticipation of the revel happening later this evening. The scent of blood thick in the air and the sound of screams wrenching through the night always got his heart pumping. He knew he was on thin ice with the pack, and he'd have to be careful after tonight's revel. The last one was a disaster - he'd almost had a mutiny on his hands. He shook himself from his revelry when his pup and mate arrived before him.

"Thank you, Fenrir, for allowing us to stay with the pack. And for answering all of my questions," the Granger girl said after giving a small curtsy.

"Our pack, girl," Fenrir told her and clapped his Beta on the shoulder. She grinned up at him and moved on to give her thanks to Narcissa.

Fenrir eyed Narcissa. She was doing something different with her hair these days, and Fenrir liked it. He wondered if it had something to do with him. He'd been unable to get her alone in several weeks, but was hoping to do so again. Maybe he would find her before the revel tonight. Snape had been her watchdog up until now, but Fenrir did not expect him to return after escorting his Beta's mate back to Hogwarts.

He watched his Beta whisper something in the girl's ear. She blushed and Fenrir smiled his approval as Snape ushered the girl out of the house and down the drive.

"Come, pup," Fenrir said impatiently and began descending the stairs. He didn't bother to check if his pup was following - he could hear Draco's footsteps behind him.

"There's a revel tonight," Fenrir began as he led his pup away from the entrance, to the dungeons and toward the dueling court.

"I'm aware," Draco replied cooly. Fenrir narrowed his eyes and turned back to his pup. They were in the basement now, far enough away from prying eyes. The rage that always simmered below the surface these days threatened to spill over.

"Listen, here, pup," Fenrir growled. "You are _my_ Beta, best not forget it. You take orders from me. I don't want to see you cloistered away with Rand again." He attempted to look down on his Beta, but he realized the young wolf was now slightly taller. _When had that happened?_ He stepped closer, crowding Draco, until Draco's back was against the wall.

"Woah, Alpha," his pup replied and offered his neck in submission. Fenrir took a inhaled deeply, catching his Beta's scent and the scent of his Beta's mate. He felt Draco emanating the collective's calm, and he took a breath and let it sweep through him. He stepped back toward the center of the corridor.

"I wasn't doing anything with Rand besides catching up," Draco replied with his hands held up, showing he was unarmed.

"Yeah, well, Rand has been getting ideas," Fenrir muttered. He half turned away from his Beta to peer down the hallway toward the dueling court. Fenrir tugged on his beard as he recalled the revel a few weeks before. He'd been high on sex and murder, and he hadn't cleaned his robes properly.

"If he does, he hasn't shared them with me," his pup told him. "I'm on your side. I'm _your_ Beta."

Fenrir turned his gaze back to his Beta. Draco still had his head tilted and his neck offered in submission. His hands were down at his sides, with his palms facing Fenrir. Fenrir sniffed and rolled his head and neck.

"Let's keep it that way," he growled. "Whatever Rand's planning, you better let me in on the secret."

"Of _course_ , Alpha. He hasn't told me anything, I can try to get it out of him, if you'd like?" Draco offered.

Fenrir mulled the idea over. He knew his standing in the pack was precarious after the last revel. He'd been trying to be the best Alpha he knew how since then, but he couldn't get himself out of attending this upcoming revel. It was a requirement for most of the Dark Lord's followers.

Not that he wanted to miss it. He really did relish revels. They brought him back to his first days as a werewolf when he attacked everyone and everything. As he gained control over his wolf, that craze died down. Unlike most of the pack, he missed it those early times. He missed the power and freedom. He missed the carnage. The revels brought it all back.

He could indulge in his darkest fantasies. And he did. Every time.

Revels were one of the best parts of being a Death Eater. He knew the pack wouldn't condone his actions, and his Beta clearly didn't have the taste for it. They were weaklings, all of them.

"Fine, figure out what he's plotting and report it to me. He won't be the first werewolf stupid enough to cross me," Fenrir scowled as he stalked away from his Beta and down the hall to the dueling court. He could hear Draco following behind him as he threw open both doors and strode to his tent and his bottle of firewhisky.

* * *

Fenrir paced his tent, the half-drank bottle of firewhisky dangling from his hand. After his confrontation with his Beta, he still felt ready to crawl out of his skin. He didn't know how to reconcile the Death Eater to the Alpha and it was making him anxious. He set his teeth and slammed the bottle onto the table, making a decision that the only thing that would make him feel better was sex. He needed to find Narcissa and see if he could coax his way back into her robes.

He stormed out of his tent and past the dueling court half-hoping one of his pack would get in his way so he could have a proper fight. Nobody did. He knew his emotions must be bleeding over into the collective, but he didn't care. Part of him was glad the pack knew to keep away and the other part was aching for a fight.

Narcissa wasn't in her solar, so he made his way to the family wing. He finally found her in her personal sitting room, and he barged through the door without knocking.

"Narcissa," he growled as he strode forward. She was sitting prettily on a settee sipping tea. _Always, with the damned tea._

"Fenrir, what can I do for you?" Narcissa asked. Fenrir narrowed his eyes at her. She was always so infernally polite. He wanted to knock that courtly look off her face. He wanted to see her crumpled and in the throes of passion.

"You've been ignoring me," Fenrir scowled as he stood above her.

She raised an eyebrow at him and Fenrir could feel the growl working its way onto his face.

"Have I? I've been a poor hostess. Please, forgive me," she bowed her head in false contrition. Fenrir leaned down and grasped her elbow and pulled her to her feet. He dragged her so she was flush with his body, grinding his hips into hers, pushing his hard cock into her softness.

"You know what I want," Fenrir said as he leaned down and inhaled her scent. He was rewarded with a shudder and Narcissa placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Fenrir," she breathed and Fenrir felt his cock twitch in response.

"Tell me you want it," he said between nips to her throat.

"I…"

"What… exactly... is going on here?" a silken voice asked from the doorway.

Fenrir whirled around, shoving Narcissa behind him and drawing his wand at the same time.

"Snape," he spat out, "this has nothing to do with you. Leave now."

Fucking Snape - how had he gotten back from Hogwarts so quickly? Why was he back at all? He was one of the few Death Eaters that the Dark Lord had given permission to skip most revels. Fenrir had certainly not expected him to show his face any time soon. He was always hiding at the school.

Snape had his wand casually drawn, and he had a bored expression on his face, "Narcissa?"

Narcissa moved from behind Fenrir to face the interloper. Fenrir hoped she would dismiss him and they could get on with it. He was painfully hard and needed a release before the revel tonight.

"Severus, we were just catching up. Fenrir and I haven't spoken for some time," Narcissa said as she smoothed her robes and straightened her hair. Fenrir narrowed his eyes at the witch and leaned down to grasp her wrist, but she deftly moved out of his range and toward Snape. Fenrir could feel the rage building inside of him as he watched Narcissa step close to Snape and make a small comment he couldn't hear. She crossed the room to the door that led toward the hallway.

"I do have something important to attend to, please excuse me," she told them both before slipping out into the hallway.

"Gods dammit!" Fenrir raged as he stalked toward Snape. His need for a fight had just grown and Snape was the perfect target. His blood pulsed in his ears and his heart hammered against his ribcage.

"Calm down, wolf," Snape sneered at him. Snape was a tall man, but Fenrir still towered over the other man.

"Don't fucking tell me what to do," Fenrir stormed, clenching his fists and bringing his wand hand up. He couldn't decide if he wanted hex the bastard or punch him.

Snape glared up at him and stepped to the side, turning his back on Fenrir as he moved over to the drinks cart.

"Clearly, Cissy didn't care for your company, wolf. Not that I can blame her," Snape commented drily.

Fenrir wasn't having it. He cast a slicing hex at the fucker, but Snape was ready for him and blocked it as he whirled around.

"Are you sure you want to get into a duel with me?" Snape mocked.

"You might beat me in a duel, you cunt. But I'll beat you bloody with my fists before I leave here," Fenrir threatened as he cast another slicing hex at Snape.

Snape smirked at him, "Perhaps. But not, if I leave you trussed up like a pig for slaughter."

Snape stopped defending and began casting his own offensive magic at Fenrir. Immediately, a proper duel was taking place, and in almost complete silence as they cast hexes, curses, and jinxes at each other. Some landed, but most did not. Fenrir eventually got sick of the byplay and tackled Snape to the floor, crashing into the settee and the cart as they wrestled and fought. Fenrir took all his aggression out on Snape, but Snape gave as good as he got back, trading blow after blow. Fenrir was finally starting to tire when the door burst open again.

"Oh for Nimue's sake!" Narcissa shouted exasperatedly when she heard the commotion and opened to door to her sitting room. She petrified them both and Fenrir suddenly found himself flat on his back staring up at the underside of an end table.

Fenrir could hear murmuring and assumed Narcissa had freed Snape and sent him on his way. He felt the spell's hold release. He sat up, wand in his hand and was met with an irate Narcissa. Her arms were crossed in front of her and her wand was dangling from one hand as she tapped a foot on the floor. Fenrir was disheveled, he was bleeding from his lip and an eyebrow. He reached a hand up and wiped the blood from his vision. His robes were torn in several places.

"Mr. Greyback," she said in an icy tone that made Fenrir flinch. He stood quickly and bowed deeply.

"My deepest apologies, Narcissa. My behaviour was abhorrent and will never happen again," he stood and grasped one of her hands, bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Then he turned and left the sitting room. He half-hoped to find Snape before he made it back to the dueling court, but he didn't. It was probably a good thing - the Dark Lord would not take kindly to Fenrir killing a fellow Death Eater.

* * *

It was almost time for the revel and most of Fenrir's extra energy Fenrir was still there after his failure with Narcissa and his aborted fight with Snape.

Fenrir returned to the dueling court in a mood blacker than when he had left it. He stomped to his tent to grab his Death Eater robes and mask and went to find Draco. Draco was in his own tent playing Exploding Snap with Seff.

"Let's go, Beta," Fenrir snarled as he gestured for Draco to follow him.

They were nearing the edge of the dueling court just as Fenrir's Dark Mark began to burn. He took a deep breath of the frigid winter air as he put on his robes and mask and gestured for Draco to do the same. He touched his wand to his Mark and apparated away. Draco landed behind him and he pushed his way through the crowd to his spot on the left side of the Dark Lord. Draco stood to Fenrir's left as the rest of the brotherhood assembled themselves. Fenrir breathed deeply of the cold air filled with the smell of wood smoke from the fire at the center of the Death Eater circle. He twitched his toes as he waited impatiently for things to begin.

"Compatriotsss," the Dark Lord hissed and instantly the collected wizards and witches quieted.

"I am delighted to proclaim that our plansss with the Minissstry are nearly complete. We have all of the key playersss in place and will begin the take-over."

There was a smattering of applause from the assembled group at this news. The tension in the air was thick and the Death Eaters were eager for something real to start happening. They wanted to get out of the shadows and begin to wage war.

"And thanksss to our dear brother Draco, we are nearly ready to invade Hogwartsss. The meddling old man, Dumbledore, will be dead and trouble usss no more!"

A huge cheer went up at this pronouncement and Fenrir slapped Draco on the shoulder in congratulations. He knew they weren't ready to invade yet, but Draco's work with the vanishing cabinet was going well.

"And now we celebrate the new year. Bring forth the entertainment," the Dark Lord announced. Fenrir felt his anticipation rise - his favorite part was coming.

Several junior Death Eaters ushered forward a large group of Muggles, including men, women and children. Fenrir was already cataloging them and deciding which one he wanted for himself when he felt Draco tug on his arm.

"Alpha," Draco whispered through his mask.

"Follow me, pup," Fenrir hissed to him. He knew Draco wasn't comfortable with this. But Fenrir had a plan he thought his pup might quite enjoy. Like how he enjoyed killing Dolohov all those weeks ago. And if he could get Draco to murder again, all the better to adhere Draco to him.

Fenrir strode forward and grabbed the nearest adult male Muggle as Draco followed along behind. Fenrir ignored the raised eyebrows of the few Death Eaters who paid attention enough to know his usual fare was women. Fenrir dragged the struggling Muggle behind him until they were in a secluded area, behind a large copse of trees. The bonfire was still visible, but most of the other Death Eaters took their own prizes off to secluded areas like predators dragging their prey into dens.

"Keep him here," Fenrir commanded and stalked off, leaving the struggling Muggle to Draco. He dimly noted that Draco Stupefied the Muggle. Not what Fenrir would have done, but it didn't matter for Fenrir's plans. He could Rennervate the Muggle later.

Fenrir went back to the bonfire in search of his actual prey. The Muggle was just icing on the cake.

His target liked to wait until all but the last Muggle had been chosen. Fenrir's quarry always enjoyed watching the terror and fear of the other Muggles get dragged out of the clearing. Fenrir had chosen his own Muggle swiftly, so the he could come back to the circle before the end. He was betting he could follow his victim and safely attack without any of the other Death Eaters being aware of what was going on. Especially her friends.

He watched and waited as one by one the Muggles disappeared Fenrir's prey grasped the last Muggle by the hair and began pulling her away. Fenrir stalked them until they were out of earshot of the group before attacking and bringing both his fellow Death Eater and the unlucky Muggle back to where Draco was waiting.

Priceless. Fenrir would have paid galleons for a photo of the look on Draco's face when he saw his Alpha dragging Bellatrix Lestrange toward him by the hair.

"Your prize, Beta," Fenrir smirked as he dumped Bella at Draco's feet. A proud feeling welled in Fenrir's chest. He always did like to provide for his pack.

"Wh-what for?" Draco looked bewildered.

"Rodolphus talks too much when he gets drunk. I heard what she tried to do to you on Christmas Eve," Fenrir shrugged. "I figured you'd want revenge."

"Oh," Draco looked down at his aunt, who was still Stupefied. Fenrir had hoped for a stronger reaction than this, but maybe once Fenrir got into it, Draco would join in like he'd done with Dolohov.

"For fucks sake, I'll do it," Fenrir growled. He kicked the male Muggle he'd originally selected in the ribs until he was awake. Then he Rennervated Bellatrix and tied her wrists above her head to the nearest tree. She dangled there, her toes barely able to touch the ground.

"What's the meaning of this? Wolf?! Draco?!" Bellatrix screeched. Fenrir winced and directed Draco to cast a few silencing wards around them. He released the Silencio on Bellatrix once he felt the wards drop into place. He smiled when he realized his Beta had put up one-way silencing wards. Others wouldn't hear them, but they could hear everything going on around them. Fenrir savored the sounds during a revel and this one was especially potent. They didn't usually get this many Muggles. Almost every Death Eater had their own.

"This is punishment, Bellatrix. Don't fuck with my Beta," Fenrir growled when he turned back to his prey.

"I'll do whatever the fuck I please, wolf! You may stand at the Dark Lord's left side, but I'm at his right!" Bellatrix snarled ferociously.

She struggled against her bonds, trying to free herself. Fenrir caught Draco hiding a smirk behind a cough and was pleased that his Beta seemed to find this amusing. He was doing this for Draco after all. Anything to keep his Beta on his side and the pack complacent. The proud feeling swelled in his chest again. This was good and right - he was sure of it.

"Oh, Beta, you're going to like this," Fenrir muttered and then pointed his wand at the male Muggle. "Imperio."

Fenrir's grin darkened when the male Muggle stood and began pulling off his clothes. Fenrir didn't often use the Imperius curse. He wasn't very good at using it against other witches or wizards, but Muggles minds had fewer barriers.

"What are you doing? What's going on?" Bella shouted as the male Muggle approached her slowly, jerking erratically as if his movements weren't quite his own. Fenrir admired the Muggle man he'd chosen. He was rather skinny, but fit and not overweight.

Fenrir had always wanted to know what it felt like to fuck Bellatrix. He'd never dip his own wick into it, but he was curious. Now was his chance to find out. He made the male Muggle masturbate until his dick was hard.

When the Muggle finally got it up, Fenrir was disappointed in the small size of the other man's cock. He whispered, "Engorgio." And watched as the cock grew to an enormous size, much larger than Fenrir's own - admittedly - huge cock. It was almost comical how big it was. Fenrir felt the male Muggle scream internally and began battering at him in his mind. Fenrir tightened his control on the Imperius.

"Don't do this, wolf. Don't!" Bella screamed as the Muggle man stood directly in front of her, still stroking his grotesquely large cock. She wrenched her wrists so hard, blood started dripping down her arms. Fenrir inhaled deeply. He had craved the metallic scent of blood since childhood. He opened his mouth as he breathed in again and he could taste it in the air. His own blood pumped through his veins faster.

"Mmm, doesn't that look like a pleasant cock to fuck, Bellatrix?" Fenrir mused. He felt his own cock stirring at the sight and couldn't wait to get his hands on the Muggle woman Bellatrix had chosen.

"Fuck you!" Bellatrix spat. Her twisting and turning grew more frantic. Fenrir hadn't yet directed the man to do anything more than wank in front of Bellatrix, and she was already the most panicked Fenrir had ever seen her. He grinned at the sight.

Fenrir glanced back at his Beta who was just watching the action and was a little disappointed to see that the expression on his face was blank, like someone who'd been shellshocked. He thought for sure his Beta would enjoy this. Maybe once the actual torture began? He narrowed his eyes at the younger werewolf and turned back to the action in front of him. He directed the Muggle to begin tearing the clothing from Bellatrix's body.

Dimly he heard his Beta cough and retch, and Fenrir did have to consider that his Beta might find it disturbing to look at his aunt's naked body. Bellatrix may have been a beauty in the past, but her stint in Azkaban did her no favors. She was pale, almost skeletal, and her breasts were small, saggy, and deflated, with overly large nipples.

Fenrir turned to the Muggle woman laying on the ground. She was at least twenty years younger than Bellatrix. He leaned down and ripped her top off of her to reveal lovely, perky breasts, with small pointed nipples. He felt his shrinking cock rebound at the vision before him.

"Stay with me Beta," Fenrir murmured over his shoulder once Draco was back on his feet, still staring blankly. Fenrir wasn't even close to finished.

"Crucio," he whispered and watched as she dangled on the rope. When he let off the curse, Bellatrix laughed.

"Ooh, do that again, wolf! I love a good Cruciatus. Get's all my juices flowing," Bellatrix taunted.

Fenrir rolled his eyes. It figured the sick fuck _liked_ the Cruciatus. He directed the Muggle to get on his knees and to begin licking Bellatrix's slit. Rape was always so much more meaningful when they enjoyed it, Fenrir thought.

It was amusing to watch Bellatrix struggle to keep the Muggle from touching her, but the Muggle grabbed a thigh in each arm and yanked them open to access her cunt. The Muggle gave a few licks and Fenrir decided Bellatrix needed some help. He made the Muggle's tongue larger as well, so large it didn't fit back in the Muggle's mouth. Then he added a vibrating spell to it. The internal screaming started up again, and Fenrir tightened his control on the Imperius once more. He could feel himself break out in a sweat as he directed as much mental control as he dared to the Muggle.

This time Bellatrix's shrieks were of a sort of pained pleasure that Fenrir rather enjoyed. He watched the Muggle eat her out and palmed his own cock through his robes, trying to relieve some of the pleasure there. He directed the Muggle to start fucking her with his tongue and was delighted in the changed pitch of Bellatrix's screams. Then he had the Muggle start putting one finger into her arsehole, gradually increasing the amount. Without the benefit of lube, Fenrir knew how painful that would be.

It wasn't long before Bellatrix squealed out an orgasm and hung limp and sobbing while the Muggle continued fucking her with his engorged, vibrating tongue and had his entire fist in her arse. Fenrir enjoyed watching the blood drip down the Muggles arm. He had his hand in his trousers now, fully wanking at the sight in front of him. Fenrir had never used the Imperius this way before, but he was now thinking this needed to be part of his arsenal.

He had all but forgotten about his Beta.

"Enough," Draco gasped out.

Fenrir turned and raised an eyebrow. It was disappointing that Draco didn't appreciate the gift Fenrir had given him.

"I don't think so, Beta," Fenrir replied coldly.

He turned back to the tableau in front of him and had the Muggle man stand up. He released Bellatrix from her bonds. She was broken and crying, unable to move. Fenrir directed the Muggle to put her on her hands and knees and began fucking her from behind with his enormous cock, which was almost the size of a beater's bat. He had the Muggle increase the pace incrementally and Fenrir's heart raced at how quickly the Muggle's hips were pumping. Watching the way that giant cock appeared and disappeared inside Bellatrix made his own cock strain in response.

He grabbed the Muggle woman by the hair and Rennervated her. Her screams mingled with Bellatrix's, serving to make Fenrir even harder. The scent of blood in the air, and the erotic sight in front of him was so good that he didn't want to waste it on a wank. He stripped the Muggle woman and cast a Cruciatus to loosen her muscles and take the fight out of her. Then he got down on top of her and pushed inside. It was heaven. Her pussy clenched his cock and he grasped her tits, roughly squeezing them as he pounded inside of her. Her blood mixed with his pre-cum to lubricate her tight channel.

"Crucio her, Beta," Fenrir ordered as his climax approached. "The Dark Lord checks wands," he gasped out, pumping faster. He was pumping in time with the Muggle man in front of him.

As soon as Draco cast the Cruciatus, Fenrir was coming. He grunted through his orgasm. He'd perfected his mid-revel post-orgasm ritual. He stood quickly and tucked himself in his pants. Then he cast an Avada Kedavra at the Muggle woman, then paused to relish and relax in his pleasure.

When he looked around, he found the Muggle man lying on the ground Petrified. Bellatrix and Draco were gone.


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: The usual beta love to brownlark42. Siriusly, she's the best. Ya'll would not be reading this fic without her because it would be terrible. She's like that first sip of coffee in the morning.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **As always, I love to know your thoughts!**

* * *

Draco couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sure, he hated his Aunt Bella. She was insane, aggressive, and utterly disturbing. That did not mean he wanted to see her naked, much less brutally raped by a spell-damaged muggle.

He wiped his mouth. He'd just vomited twice while watching the muggle stick his disgusting beater's bat of a cock inside his aunt's… he couldn't even think the word. He had to get her out of here.

"Crucio her, Beta" he heard Fenrir say. He turned to look at his Alpha and realized the wolf was raping the muggle woman. Draco closed his eyes. He didn't want to be here. Maybe if he wished hard enough, he'd just disappear.

When he opened his eyes he was still in the same small clearing, watching two rapes happening at the same time. The forest around them was thick with the sound of screams and grunts. The coppery smell of blood was thick in the air and Draco felt his stomach roll again. He turned to the side and spat. He'd emptied his stomach, so there would be no more vomiting this night, but he still struggled to control the urge to retch. He was suddenly incredibly grateful for Snape taking Hermione back to Hogwarts that afternoon. He didn't want her to see him after something like this.

"The Dark Lord checks wands," Fenrir grunted. Draco groaned quietly and rubbed his face. He drew his wand and pointed it at the muggle woman and whispered Crucio. He watched as Fenrir came, and Draco wished for a hot shower and the chance and scrub himself raw as if he could wash away the horror. He never wanted to watch another man orgasm, especially in an act of violence. The intimacy was too much, even in Draco's current shocked state.

Then he saw his opportunity. Without thinking, he Petrified the muggle man, grasped his aunt's arm, and Apparated them away.

"Dear gods!" he heard his mother shout. When he opened his eyes, he realized he had Apparated them straight into her personal sitting room.

"What happened? Draco? Are you all right?" his mother asked as she crossed the room to look at him.

"I'm fine, Mother! It's Aunt Bella. We have to do something," Draco was panicking now. Why had he done this? How was he going to explain this to Fenrir? Fenrir thought he was doing Draco a favor, but Draco never wanted something like this to happen. He -

SMACK!

His mother slapped him hard across the face, and all of Draco's thoughts came screeching to a halt. He blinked and stared at her.

"What happened? What is going on, Draco?" Mother asked.

"It's Fenrir, h-he thought he was doing me a favor," Draco explained, his words toppling over one another, "That I would like this. But he abducted Aunt Bella and had a muggle rape her. He used Imperius on the muggle and engorged the muggles, er, bits. I-I don't know why I brought her here. I just couldn't stand to watch it anymore. I had to stop it. So when he was, um, distracted, I grabbed her and blind Apparated," Draco finished in a rush.

"All right, deep breaths. I'll take care of this," his mother said. She guided Draco to her settee and set him on it. Then she called for Tink and had the elf bring a fresh pot of tea. Draco sat on his mother's settee drinking tea as his mother worked on healing her sister. The moment seemed very surreal like it couldn't actually be happening. He pinched his arm to see if this was a dream, but he didn't wake up and the pinch hurt.

Finally, his mother managed to get the bleeding to stop and she dressed Aunt Bella in one of her dressing gowns.

"Mother, what am I going to tell Fenrir? What are we going to tell the Dark Lord? Bella will have him killed for this," Draco said. He felt numb. He had no idea how he was going to get himself out of this. He could only hope his mother had an idea.

After a pause, his mother asked, "Draco what do you know of disco lollies?"

"Disco lollies? What are you talking about?" Draco asked, confused.

"It's a drug... your aunt Bella is quite fond of it. At least she was in her youth, and judging by her behavior over the last few weeks, I'm guessing she still takes it. It causes euphoria, disorientation, and sometimes memory loss…. and hallucination, depending on the stability of the mind. It's especially potent when taken over long periods of time." She gazed at Bella thoughtfully, "I'm going to very slightly modify Bella's memory. Make it her wish to be tied up and raped by a muggle. Her wand to cast the spells on the muggle. And make her feel like she enjoyed it."

"You can do that?" Draco was awed. Memory spells were extraordinarily difficult and tricky to perform correctly, especially on witches and wizards.

"I can, but I'm hoping that her past and current usage of the drug will help with this. When she wakes up, we'll tell her a modified version of events to explain why she is where she is. Then we'll find your Fenrir and explain things to him. It shouldn't be hard to show him why it is a terrible idea to kidnap and rape a fellow Death Eater, and how absurd it is to expect the Dark Lord to support his revenge without first seeking permission. I fear that Greyback has inflated his ego too much over the last few weeks. We need to remind him of his place in the world," his mother finished coldly.

Draco could only nod.

"Good, I'm going to wake Bella now," she said. She levitated her sister to the settee opposite Draco and Rennervated her.

Aunt Bella woke slowly, and when she did, she looked very confused.

"There you are, Bella," Mother said gently. "You gave us a scare."

"What happened? Where am I?" Aunt Bella asked as she slowly sat up and gazed around the room. She blinked owlishly before focusing on Narcissa, who was kneeling at her side.

"You overdosed, darling. At the revel. Draco found you convulsing and drooling on the ground. He was scared for you and brought you here. Can you tell me what you remember?" Mother prompted. Her hand was resting casually on the settee next to Aunt Bella, and she held her wand comfortably, with the tip pointed toward Aunt Bella's head. To the casual observer, it looked like nothing. To Draco, he could see the tip rotating. His mother was speaking to Aunt Bella and casting at the same time. Draco was impressed. He knew his mother was powerful, but this was a potent reminder.

"A muggle, I wanted him to fuck me. He had the largest cock I'd ever seen and I couldn't wait for it to be inside me. I've never fucked a muggle before… it was…" Aunt Bella trailed off vaguely.

Draco managed to keep his nausea in check, but it was a near thing. He may need his mother to cast a memory charm on him, so he could forget this whole night. Or maybe just get rid of all the bits of his aunt being raped, and seeing her naked body. He'd have to remember to ask her about it later.

"And, then, it's all blank after that? I don't think I ate any discos…?" she looked up at them in question.

"Darling, you must have," Mother insisted. "You had all the classic signs. Even after all these years, I still recognize them."

"I guess," Aunt Bella agreed mistily.

"I'm sure of it. We can chat with Rodolphus and he'll probably tell us the same thing," Mother assured her.

"Draco - go track down Rodolphus. The revel must be over by now," Mother commanded.

Draco sat a moment longer, but when his mother turned around to glare at him, he shook himself and stood up. He left the room and wandered through the Manor. He felt like a passenger in his own head as he headed toward the Manor grounds. He couldn't even feel Reule in the back of his mind.

"Draco?" a smooth deep voice questioned. Draco looked around and found Snape staring at him. For once, he actually had an expression on his face. It almost looked like worry, but then it was gone.

"Do you know where Rodolphus is?" Draco asked.

"Does this have something to do with Bellatrix?" Snape replied. Draco could only nod.

"Tell me where she is," he commanded.

Draco complied. He was too stunned and overwhelmed to do anything else.

"Go to your room and stay there," Snape ordered. Draco obeyed, numbly walking away.

* * *

"BETA!" The roar woke Draco out of a dead sleep. He sat up on his bed as his bedroom door burst inward and his Alpha stalked through.

"What. The. Fuck. Is going on?" Greyback asked as he strode to the bed and picked Draco up by the collar of his nightshirt. Draco was taller than Greyback, so the effect was mitigated, but Draco still felt like pissing his pants at the look on the other werewolf's face.

"Um…" Draco tried to say.

"Don't even fucking start with me," Greyback growled as he pushed Draco away from him and turned to pace the room. Draco sprawled on the floor, frozen for a moment before his brain caught up and he scrambled to his feet.

"Listen, Fenrir, Alpha. I had to -" Draco was cut off again by Greyback's roar.

"HAD TO? HAD TO WHAT?" Greyback flew across the room to get into Draco's face again.

"Calm down, wolf," a silky voice said from the doorway. Draco looked over Greyback's shoulder to see Snape standing there with a wand in his hands. He was fully dressed, despite it being the middle of the night. His mother peered over Snape's shoulder, and Draco breathed a sigh of relief. Snape and his mother would explain what happened.

"Fucking Snape. You don't know when to leave it alone, do you?" Greyback thundered as he prowled toward the Potions Master.

Mother pushed past Snape and entered Draco's room.

"Really, Fenrir. There is an explanation for Draco's actions earlier," Mother explained calmly. Draco was impressed. She was tiny in comparison to the three males in the room, and yet she was the calmest power. He could see the tense line of Snape's shoulders, and Greyback's hands were curled into fists at his sides.

Greyback flicked his gaze over Draco's mother, then he turned his back on both her and Snape to address Draco, "Explain, Beta. Now."

"You couldn't kill her. You didn't have permission from the Dark Lord," Draco began.

"How do you know I didn't have permission?" Greyback menaced.

Snape snorted, "As if the Dark Lord would allow you to torture or kill his most trusted lieutenant? Bella could kill every one of the other Death Eaters and the Dark Lord would still elect to keep her alive. Men don't kill the women who suck their cocks, especially women as twisted as Bella."

Draco grimaced at the mental image that created.

"Go. On." Greyback rumbled.

"You couldn't kill her. And what was your plan if you left her alive? She'd go right to the Dark Lord and tell him what happened. I thought if I could get her away to Mother, maybe Mother could talk her down or something," Draco finished lamely. He had no excuse. He just couldn't bear to see what Greyback's abomination was doing to her.

"I altered her memory, Fenrir," Mother said. She reached out and placed a hand on Fenrir's arm as he was passing. The other werewolf stilled instantly and looked at her hand. Draco didn't like the look in his eyes and he didn't miss Snape's look darkening either.

"She won't remember any of it? What good is that? It was supposed to teach her a lesson. To keep her hands off my Beta," Fenrir glared.

"Bella is unstable. She's been unstable most of her life, even before she was in Azkaban," Draco's mother explained. "I convinced her that she had been dropping disco lollies and that she overdosed."

"She's resting now, recovering from her overdose," Snape drawled.

"She remembers wanting to fuck the muggle," Mother said. Draco couldn't ever remember hearing such coarse language from his mother. It was shocking to hear her say it now. He felt his mouth drop open as he gaped at her Then he caught Snape's eye and instantly rearranged his features to hide what he was thinking.

"And her kidnap? Did you take those memories away too? Or were you only concerned with protecting the boy?" Greyback snapped.

"Of course, Fenrir. This was to protect you both. I appreciate that you want revenge on Bella for her transgressions against Draco. It comforts me to know you prize his safety as much as I do," Mother demurred. Draco thought he might be sick. There was an underlying current between the adults in the room that he didn't fully understand. He wasn't sure he wanted to know. Greyback was visibly calming under his mother's touch and Snape was getting angrier and angrier the longer his mother reassured Greyback.

"I want to see her," Greyback stated.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," Snape replied. Draco could see he was making an effort to look bored. And maybe Greyback bought it. But Draco had sat in a crowded classroom with the man for six years, and he could see that Snape was practically vibrating with suppressed rage.

"Am I just supposed to take your word? I think not. I want to see her," Greyback said again.

"Severus, I think it'll be fine if we bring Greyback in for tea in the morning, don't you?" Draco's mother asked. Draco could hear the steel in her voice.

"As you wish, Cissy," Snape conceded with a small nod.

"Fine, I'll be up again in the morning," Greyback grunted. He pulled his arm from Draco's mother's grasp and turned back to Draco. "Pup, you're coming with me."

Draco nodded and followed Greyback as he left his bedroom and headed for the dueling court. As they left the family wing, Draco looked over his shoulder to find Snape and his mother arguing quietly as they headed back down the hall toward his mother's suite. They entered her rooms and the hallway was silent again.

* * *

"Aunt Bella, how are you?" Draco asked solicitously as he entered the solar with Greyback.

"Fine, Draco, just fine. Bit of a headache this morning. I gather I got a little rough at the revel last night," Aunt Bella cackled.

Draco attempted his best to grin at her, but he was sure that it was actually a grimace.

"You were pretty out of it," Draco said as he sat and began preparing his tea.

"So I heard. Don't quite remember too much. Cissy tells me you found me?" Aunt Bella asked.

Draco nodded, eager to play along with the memory charms his mother performed, "Yes, you were just laying there twitching and foaming at the mouth. I didn't know what was going on, so I brought you to Mother."

Draco leaned back in his chair so he could observe Greyback's reaction to this information and to Bella.

"I was? I don't remember?" Aunt Bella trailed off.

"You would not remember, Bella," Mother said kindly as she patted Aunt Bella's shoulder. "It was like the time from your sixth year when you had overdosed on disco lollies and your dormmate came to get me. What was her name? Carrow? Or Bulstrode? Or maybe she's a Carrow now? I am not sure. Anyway, the signs are all the same as then. And after. The memory loss."

Uncle Rodolphus strolled into the room then and Draco felt his throat close. He never managed to retrieve Uncle Rodolphus last night, because Snape had intervened. He didn't know if Uncle Rodolphus would play along with the fiction they had created.

"Cissy, thank you again for your quick actions with Bella last night," Uncle Rodolphus said as he accepted a cuppa and sat next to his wife. He patted her on the hand and gave her a small smile. "I worry about you, darling. Don't go scaring me like that again."

"Of course not, Rodolphus," Aunt Bella said returning his smile. It was the most loving Draco had ever seen the pair, and he struggled to keep the surprised look off his face. He shouldn't have been concerned about Uncle Rodolphus, his mother seemed to have him wrapped around her finger as tightly as she had Snape and Greyback. Which meant…. No. Absolutely not. Whatever was going on was a mystery and would stay a mystery. He knew how he was wrapped around Hermione's finger, and why. And it wasn't all just because she was his mate. He would not think about his mother in a similar situation.

"Good revel, eh Bella?" Greyback asked as he leaned back into the settee he shared with Draco. He stirred his tea slightly and took a sip as he watched Aunt Bella over his teacup.

Draco almost trembled with the fear that Greyback was going to trigger a memory for his aunt. Or that his aunt would suddenly recover and know exactly what had been done to her. Did his mother remember to fix all her injuries? Even the ones to her… Draco shook the next thought from his mind.

"I quite enjoyed the time I spent with the muggle girl I found," Greyback continued.

Aunt Bella cocked her head to the side as though she were trying to figure out what Greyback was getting at.

"Well, I do enjoy a good spot of torture. I was going to pick a woman, but I chose a man this time," Aunt Bella said with a grin. Draco tried to return the expression, but he wasn't sure he was successful. "But I'm afraid my memory quite escapes me about last night. I hope I did get at least one Cruciatus in before falling ill. Have to keep in practice, you know." She directed the last bit to Draco. He nodded along as though he also enjoyed 'a good spot of torture.' His family was full of sick fucks. Draco could readily admit that to himself. He was glad he had Hermione to be his guiding light. She would help him stay on the right side of this conflict and history. His family certainly wasn't doing him any favors in that regard.

As the tea continued, Greyback kept pushing on Aunt Bella to talk about events from the previous night. He asked if she remembered the meeting prior to the revel. Thankfully, his mother seemed to be skilled enough with memory charms that there were no plot holes.

"Yes, yes, of course, I remember the Dark Lord's announcements," Aunt Bella said as she waved her hand. "I remember it all, even wanting the fuck the Muggle. Why I'd want to fuck him and not torture him I can't recall. Have we fought recently, Rodolphus?"

"Of course not, my sweet," Rodolphus murmured as he picked up her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist.

Draco wanted to vomit again at the display between his aunt and uncle. He did not want to hear about his aunt's sexual urges.

Snape entered the room then, "Cissy, I didn't know you had company," he said as he stood near the door stiffly.

"Come in, Severus. We've just sat down for tea. Have a cuppa," Draco's mother invited and patted the arm of the empty chair next to her.

Draco was sure he could hear Greyback growling very low in his throat. He wanted to cover his ears and sing 'la la la's' at the top of his lungs. He did not want to be privy to any of the sick rivalry had just flooded the room.

"Snape, when are we due to head back to school?" Draco asked, knowing it was later that afternoon.

"In a few hours. Do be on time," Snape replied.

Draco nodded, "I best go pack then. I fear I have belongings strewn all over the house."

Draco took his leave of the room, happy to leave the room and its latent hostility. He was ready to go back to Hogwarts. Ready to see Hermione again. He was not ready to face the questions, stares, and insults he was sure to get when classes resumed the following day.

But he had Hermione, and together they could weather anything that came their way.

* * *

 **A/N: Quick note - the term 'disco lollies' was taken from 'disco biscuits' which is apparently another name for ecstasy/Molly/MDMA. Well, that's what google told me anyway. I loved it and changed it to disco lollies for the wizarding version of this drug. Also, I feel like I should say I do not condone the use of drugs, they made a good plot device for this story, that is all. Hope ya'll liked it!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Beta love to brownlark42. She's like the first glass of wine out of a surprisingly good bottle.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **As always, I love to know your thoughts!**

* * *

Hermione took a deep breath as she walked through the doors of the Great Hall; she briefly squeezed Draco's hand as students began to notice them. It started with the Hufflepuffs. The table at first fell silent, but then soft, urgent whispers emerged. The Ravenclaws were next, followed by the Slytherins. The Gryffindors were last, of course, but their table had the loudest explosion of whispers. Draco returned the squeeze and dropped a kiss on the top of her head before releasing her hand and sauntering over to the Slytherin table. Hermione envied how cool he looked. As they faced the first dinner back after the Christmas hols, she was sure he felt as much turmoil as she did. He didn't show it.

Hermione squared her shoulders and headed toward the Gryffindors. She slid into a seat next to Harry, who patted her back. Ron was across from her and he didn't look happy. Lavender was nowhere in sight.

"Here, now. What's this?" Ron asked. His face was red and he had his wand clutched in his hand.

"What's what?" Hermione asked as she grabbed a dinner roll and began tearing it apart in her hands. She was too nervous to eat. The whispers continued and she could feel hundreds of eyes on her.

"Don't play dumb, Hermione. You were holding hands with Malfoy. Malfoy!" Ron exploded.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed. "I know his name, no need to shout it."

"I thought you were gathering information, not holding his bleeding hand! Are you dating him?" Ron asked. He was redder than Hermione had ever seen him.

"And if I am Ron? What's it to you?" Hermione sighed. They were going to have it out one way or another. Better to get it over with now than try to placate Ron and have him blow up again later.

"You can't! You just can't! He's a Slytherin! A fucking Death Eater!" Ron shouted as he stood from the table. He pushed away violently and looked across the hall at Malfoy.

"Ron, sit down," Hermione said tiredly and began to stand. She really didn't want to have this conversation in the Great Hall, but she wasn't looking forward to forcing Ron to leave. She gestured for Harry to help her get Ron out of the Great Hall.

"No, Hermione — I'll get him —" Ginny whipped her wand out and hexed Ron with her infamous bat-bogey. Bats started flying out of his nose as Ron tried to knock them away with his hands. Hermione gave Ginny a brief smile in thanks. Ginny nodded back and crossed her arms, looking satisfied with herself.

"Ginny! What'd you do that for?" Ron grumped. Hermione took her opportunity. She nodded at Harry and the two of them hustled Ron out of the Great Hall, into the Entrance Hall, and toward the Room of Requirement.

Hermione paced in front of the troll tapestry, trying to focus on Ron and avoid thinking about Draco. She didn't want her and Draco's room, but something similar would be good for a private conversation. When the door began appearing in the bricks, she grabbed Ron's arm and pushed him through in front of her, while Harry trailed behind. They stepped into what looked like a smaller version of the Gryffindor common room. Red and gold curtains hung on the walls and there was a roaring fire in the hearth with a couch and two armchairs clustered around a coffee table. Hermione dragged Ron to the couch and pushed him down on it. He was still fighting the bat-bogeys flying out of his nose.

Hermione twirled her wand and whispered the counter-curse. Hermione was one of the lucky few that Ginny had shared it with.

"Ugh, that is just vile," Ron complained as he cleaned his hands with a Scourgify.

"Are you ready to listen?" Hermione asked. She hadn't sat, but Harry did. He had the good sense to sit close enough to Ron that he could grab him if things got out of hand. Hermione knew Harry wasn't happy about this development either, but Harry at least knew the rest of the story. Hermione debated how much she should tell Ron. It wasn't that Ron was untrustworthy, but he did have a tendency to talk too much. Hermione had heard more than one secret tumble out of Ron's mouth at an inopportune time, and she didn't want Draco's secret to be the same.

"What's going on with you and Lavender?" Hermione asked trying to distract Ron long enough for him to calm down.

"She's bloody insane," Ron said. "Keeps talking of rings and weddings, she does."

Harry snorted and leaned back on the couch, catching Hermione's eye. Hermione shrugged. She didn't know what to tell Ron. Maybe she should just start with the basics?

"So you aren't together anymore?" Hermione asked after Ron fell silent again.

Ron looked up at her horrified, "I'm too young to get married."

Hermione laughed, "Good, at least you recognize that."

"What's going on with Malfoy? I thought you were just talking?" Ron asked. He'd calmed some. He was getting better at managing himself. His blowups were shorter and he came around faster. Hermione figured she should be thankful for that at least.

"Well, we were just talking. But things started to change..." Hermione trailed off and shrugged again. Ron looked at her thoughtfully.

"What aren't you telling me?" Ron asked.

Hermione thought for a moment.

"He's a werewolf and I'm his mate," she finally said.

"HE'S A WHAT? YOU'RE WHAT?" Ron shouted in confusion and anger, standing from the couch. Harry grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back down. Ron plopped back on the couch in a graceless heap. Hermione quirked a smile at their antics. She was glad Harry was with her.

"See why she doesn't want to tell you things?" Harry asked. He had slung an arm over Ron's shoulders, holding him in place.

"But, what? When did this happen? How did this happen? I don't-" Ron sputtered.

Hermione sighed. "It was his punishment. Voldemort decided that Draco was to be punished because Lucius failed to capture the prophecy last spring."

"That hardly seems fair. Shouldn't be punished for your father's sins. Isn't that a saying or something?" Ron asked.

Hermione let loose a low chuckle. She was glad that Ron had matured some over the years.

"Yes, it's barbaric to punish the son for the father's sins. But it's Voldemort. Anyway, Fenrir Greyback bit him over the summer. So now he's part of Greyback's pack. His Beta actually. And as strange as it might seem, I'm his mate. He figured it out on the Hogwarts Express back in September."

"You've been seeing him since September?" Ron asked. He looked at Harry for confirmation.

"Not really," Hermione admitted. "More like, since the middle of October or so? I'm not sure when it all happened, but there are a mate bond and pheromones at play. I - It's hard to explain," Hermione said.

Ron nodded thoughtfully, "Is this why you aren't around anymore? You are always with Malfoy?"

Hermione hung her head. She knew she had been neglecting her friends. She didn't realize they had noticed though.

"I'm sorry. I'll try to be around more," Hermione said.

"S'all right. I was a little too involved with Lavender there for a while," Ron admitted. Hermione grinned at him. This is why they were friends. They might get angry, but they were always managed to work things out.

* * *

The following weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend, and Hermione, Draco, and Harry had plans to meet with Tonks and Lupin at the back of Madam Puddifoot's again. The previous week had been fairly unbearable for Hermione. She and Draco had hardly had a chance to even speak to each other privately. They spent less time in the Room of Requirement and more time in the library studying. They had decided if they were going to be out, they shouldn't hide away. There were whispers and stares every time they were together, but it was still better than being apart.

Hermione had taken to keeping her wand in her hand at all times and a shield charm ready to go. The Slytherins were getting downright nasty in their hexes. Harry and Ron helped where they could, and surprisingly Parkinson did as well. In Ancient Runes, Nott had tripped Hermione as she walked past him and her bag split open when it hit the floor. Draco wasn't there yet, but Pansy was. As Hermione repaired her bag, Pansy distracted Nott by starting an argument and then used a handy spell — that Hermione was determined to learn from her later — to help collect her things and file them neatly back into the bag.

Hermione couldn't wait until the next scandal happened. She was sick of being in the spotlight. She was hoping this weekend would provide a little relief and next week would be better. At this point, any amount of stress taken off of her would help. She felt like she couldn't relax for a second or else all the balls she and Draco were juggling would come tumbling down.

It didn't help that letters from Remus were few and far between. Hermione suspected he wasn't helping as much as he promised. She knew how much he hated the werewolf side of himself and that he resented that was always the role he played for Dumbledore. Token werewolf. But Draco needed the help. And at this point, Hermione was prepared to do anything she could to help Draco.

"Wotcher, 'Mione, cousin," Tonks said as Draco and Hermione entered the room they had secured atop Madam Puddifoot's.

Hermione smiled and greeted both Tonks and Remus with a hug. Then they poured tea and had some small talk while they waited for Harry to arrive.

The door blew open, and then shut again, but nobody was there. Hermione reached her hand out and grasped the edge of the cloak. As she pulled, Harry appeared out of thin air.

"Sorry 'bout that. Had to dodge Ron," Harry said as he tried to flatten his hair.

Once they were all seated, Remus began the meeting, "All right, I've had some luck in convincing a few wolves to join my pack. I've got three so far -"

"Three is not enough," Draco said as he leaned back in his seat and ran his hands through his hair. Hermione could feel the tension rolling off of him. He'd been tense since he returned from Christmas hols, and he had been very vague about what happened at the revel. She hated that he was still keeping secrets from her, even if she had a few of her own to keep as well.

"I know, but it takes time to convince wary werewolves to join the pack of someone who has been a lone wolf his whole life," Remus replied evenly. Hermione peered at him and could see he was strained as well.

"What would help?" she asked.

"Money," Remus replied. "They're all hungry. None of them can work, and most don't even have a house to sleep in most of the time."

"That's an easy fix," Draco said as he leaned forward. "Give me your Gringotts account info and I'll have some money transferred to it. Can you use it to bribe them?"

"I will try. I'm not…" Remus trailed off and Tonks took his hand.

"This is hard for Remus. Being a werewolf is an absolute curse for him. He abhors the violence of the lifestyle and given his choice, he would never see or contact another werewolf for the rest of his life. They're not civilized, and they do not welcome him either. It's just hard - but he doesn't have a choice," Tonks explained.

Hermione frowned. She knew it was hard. This was war - it was hard for everyone. Tonks and Remus were the adults. Why was every adult in Hermione's life insisting that her generation fight the war? Why was it was her generation that needed to figure out the problems and take care of them? She was exasperated; she had had enough.

"Listen, I understand. It's a tough position to be in, and I don't blame you for hating being a werewolf. But we," she gestured to herself, Draco and Harry, "can't be the only ones fighting this war. If Volde - the Dark Lord gets wind that you aren't trying hard enough, Draco is the one who will be punished. Draco is taking a bigger risk than any of us to help win the war. You're the adults and you are the ones allegedly leading the Order. You need to suck it up and deal with it."

Draco and Harry looked at her in awe.

"Damn right, Hermione," Harry said. "I'm sick of all the adults pushing this war on us."

Remus groaned and dropped his head into his hands, "It's not that simple. We aren't pushing the war on you. I just am not any good at this Alpha business. Or at convincing the other wolves to trust me."

"Then get good at it," Hermione snapped. "Draco's going to give you funds. Merlin, Remus, they don't have to fight for the light, they just have to promise to not fight for the dark! Just taking the werewolves out of the fight, in general, will be enough. You aren't trying to save their souls, you are trying to save lives."

"Fine," Remus snapped back. "Let's move on to Order business."

Suddenly, the door to the room opened again, and Ron Weasley was standing in the threshold with Lavender Brown hanging on him, kissing his neck. He looked confused for a moment and then his face darkened.

"Oi! What's going on here?" he asked as he looked back and forth between Hermione and Harry. Hermione kept her face calm and relaxed, but she glanced at Harry and he looked guilty. _Merlin, he's a terrible liar,_ she thought.

"Ron," Harry began, but then looked at Hermione as if asking her permission. She sighed. Of course, this was another mess for her to clean up. And Lavender was here too. What a disaster. She stood, pulled both Ron and Lavender into the room, and shut the door. Then she properly warded it, surprised that Remus and Tonks hadn't already done it. Draco conjured chairs for both newcomers while Hermione shoved them into the seats.

"Merlin, what are we going to do?" she looked at Draco and Harry, completely ignoring the rest of the room.

"What in the bloody hell is going on?" Ron shouted.

"For Circe's sake, Ron! Just shut up! For one fucking minute, shut up!" Hermione shouted as she whirled on him and put her wand in his face. She didn't know if it was the swearing or the wand, but he shut his mouth.

Hermione took a deep breath as she paced the length of the room for a moment her wand still in her hand. She was trying to decide what to do when Draco spoke up.

"Weasley's practically in the Order, we should tell him. If you're worried he'll blab, let's make him take a wizarding vow. I think Brown should get a wizarding vow to not speak about what she saw here and then she learns nothing else," Draco said quietly.

"I won't blab!" Ron shouted. Hermione glared at him, and Harry sighed and cast a silencing spell over him. Draco nodded his thanks to Harry. Even in the middle of everything that was going on, Hermione was glad to see this tiny gesture as proof that Harry and Draco could get along.

Ron's face was growing redder and redder as he sat under the silencing spell. Lavender just looked around with curious eyes. Too curious in Hermione's opinion. The Brown's were an old pureblood family, and Hermione had never fully ascertained where she stood. She could not be allowed to leave here with any information.

"What about an Obliviate for Lavender instead?" Hermione asked. Ron's chair bucked like he had attempted to stand, when Hermione looked in his direction, Harry had a firm hand on his shoulder. Harry looked like he was spoiling for a fight. He had been so angry this year.

Draco thought for a moment, "I wouldn't trust myself to do one. What's the concern?"

"She can't be allowed to mention any of this to anyone. I'm worried a vow could be talked around. Or written around or something," Hermione replied. "I've been practicing my Obliviate, actually," she admitted.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her, but Hermione looked away. She didn't want to tell him she was considering Obliviating her parents and sending them away. They were sitting ducks in the Muggle world, and she didn't want them to be hurt or killed because of the part she was playing in this war.

"I think a wizarding vow is the way to go. Obliviates are tricky things, and they can be overridden with enough Veritaserum. Even with Veritaserum, a wizarding vow will hold if worded correctly."

Hermione nodded. She turned to the group - everyone was now quiet and staring at her and Draco. Draco grasped her hand and squeezed. Hermione took a deep breath.

"Ron - we'll tell you everything, on the condition you take a wizarding vow that you won't repeat or divulge anything you heard or saw here today with anyone outside this room. Also, Lavender won't be included in the vow, so you will not be able to discuss with her at a later date," Hermione stated. "Do you accept our terms?"

Harry canceled the silencing spell sometime during Hermione's proposal.

"And if I don't agree, 'Mione?" Ron asked petulantly.

"I'll Obliviate you," Hermione replied.

"Hermione!" Remus and Harry shouted standing from the table. Tonks was looking at her with her jaw hanging open in shock.

"I won't have him inadvertently blabbing secrets that will get someone killed. He's almost as bad as Hagrid in that respect," Hermione snapped.

Ron had the grace to look sheepish, "You're right 'Mione. I just forget. I'll take the vow."

"Good. Lavender, you can either be Obliviated or you can take the same vow, except you don't get to learn anything new. It's your choice," Hermione said her voice like steel.

"I'll take the vow too, Hermione," Lavender said, suitably cowed.

"Good. You first then, Draco will be our bonder," Hermione stood next to Lavender and grabbed her wrist.

"Will you, Lavender Brown, keep everything you have seen and heard today, from the moment you stepped foot into Madam Puddifoot's to the moment you leave, in confidence?" Draco asked and twirled his wand in a complicated pattern.

"I so vow," Lavender said quietly and a bright blue strand of magic circled around Hermione and Lavender's wrists. Draco tapped his wand on their joined hands and the magic sank into their skin, leaving nothing behind.

"You will not disclose any information, whether directly or indirectly - verbally, symbolically, or in writing - about anything you have seen, heard, thought, or experienced related to the time you have been in this establishment," Draco asked with another complicated twirl of his wand.

"I so vow," Lavender replied. Another strand of bright blue magic surrounded Hermione and Lavender's wrists. With another tap of the wand, it too merged with their skin.

"It's done," Draco said.

"Lavender, what do you think about Draco and I meeting with Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked.

Lavender's mouth opened, but no words came out. She grabbed her wrist like it hurt and then closed her mouth.

"Good, it worked," Hermione said. "You can either leave, or I can put you in the corner and blindfold and muffle your ears. Your choice."

"I'd rather wait for Ron," Lavender said quietly.

Hermione nodded and pulled her chair to the corner. She sat Lavender facing the wall. Then conjured a blindfold and placed it over the other girl's eyes. Then she set a Muffliato and a Silencing charm on her. Then she had Draco do the same.

"Is that really necessary, Hermione?" Ron asked bitterly.

"How do her parents feel about the Dark Lord?" Hermione asked Ron, and he shrugged. "Then yes, it's necessary."

She and Ron stood and grasped hands to perform Ron's wizarding vow. A vow was different than an oath. A wizarding oath that was broken was deadly. A vow just stopped a person from doing whatever it was they vowed they wouldn't do. It was strong in that it couldn't be broken by Veritaserum, but a powerful Legilimens could get around it. It wasn't foolproof, but neither was Obliviation. Foolproof would have been locking the door in the first place.

Once Ron's vow was over, they all took their places at the table and silence reigned for several moments.

"It's your show, 'Mione," Harry finally said.

Hermione rolled her eyes. It seemed like it was always her show these days. She began telling Ron everything. How Draco was a reluctant Death Eater, how awful Fenrir Greyback was, and what their plan was to try to undermine the Dark Lord's plots with the werewolves. Ron took it all in without saying too much. He asked a few clarifying questions, but for the most part was silent. Hermione did want Ron's input - he was a brilliant strategist. Maybe there was something she was overlooking?

"I don't like it," Ron finally said. "Greyback is an unknown and the Dark Lord is unpredictable. It feels like you are playing with fire."

Hermione sighed, "None of us like it. But we have to do something. I'm not going to let Draco become some sick, depraved, Death Eater because nobody in his life is willing to help him. Think about it, Ron. Not one single person in his life is willing to help him out of this mess."

"Hey!" Tonks interrupted. "Remus and I are here, aren't we?"

Hermione turned her glare on them. "And what were we discussing before Ron showed up? How hard it is to be a werewolf? How hard it is to recruit for your pack? How hard do you think it is for Draco to return home? To leave his mother in a house full of Death Eaters and the Dark Lord? How about to pretend loyalty to not one, not two, but three different sides in this war? Both the Dark Lord and Fenrir's plans line up for now. What happens when that changes? I don't want to hear your complaining," Hermione snapped.

Tonks looked angry, but Remus looked chastened. _Good,_ Hermione thought, _it was time for some adults to take responsibility in this war._

The meeting broke up with nothing resolved beyond Draco promising to set up the transfer between his Gringotts account and Remus'. Hermione hoped it would be enough. She hoped that the next time they met with Remus he would have better news. She hated to think what would happen if Draco were summoned and he had to give the Dark Lord a report on how little Remus had been trying. If the Dark Lord didn't think Remus was trying hard enough, he'd make him take the Dark Mark or worse - he might kill him.

* * *

The next week flew by and Hermione cornered Professor Snape for another Fiendfyre lesson. She had to be capable of successfully calling the fire back several times before she would trust herself to try to destroy Horcruxes with it. She wished they had a Horcrux or two to destroy with Professor Snape. If she knew what to expect, she wouldn't be so nervous when she inevitably had to try it on her own.

The training went well. She was getting better at controlling the fire but recalling it was another story. Professor Snape had to save her every time she tried to recall it. The power was there, but her control was lacking. She finally asked Professor Snape for some good controlling exercises. He sneered at her, but then told her to try Wingardium Leviosa on several objects of varying weights. If she could get them to rise and fall at a steady rate, it would help her control with other spells.

He recommended she start light and work her way to heavy. Very heavy, as in picking up more than one person at a time. The heavier the object that she was able to control, the better her control would be. Hermione had returned to the castle that day and promptly set out for the lake. There were several large boulders around the lake and she was sure they would make perfect practice.

It was toward the end of January that the tentative peace formed between Harry, Ron and Draco finally blew up. Hermione had been studying in the library on her own when she felt her mate bond twinge. Draco was very, very upset about something. She quickly packed up her things and set out in search of him. The mate bond was acting as a signal, telling her where to go. She climbed the stairs all the way to the seventh floor and headed toward the Room of Hidden Things. The door was wide open and she could hear shouting from inside.

She slipped in the door and quickly spotted Draco's white-blond head standing near the vanishing cabinet. Harry and Ron were standing opposite of him, and both had mean mulish expressions on their faces. Hermione shut the door quickly and wound her way through the aisles to join the boys.

"What is going on here?" Hermione demanded. She had drawn her wand but held it to her side. She couldn't believe these three were fighting already. It had only been a few weeks since the Hogsmeade trip. What could they have gotten into a fight over?

"We're looking for you-know-what's-it's, 'Mione. And this prat won't leave!" Ron shouted.

"What?! Here? Of all places? How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"Not now, 'Mione," Harry gritted and flashed his eyes at Draco. Hermione sighed. This was going to mean another conversation with Draco about things she was hiding from him. He was hiding things from her too, she knew. She was so frustrated she wanted to scream and the tension in the room was incredibly high.

"Draco, can you leave for a while, so they can have a look about the room?" Hermione asked.

"I can't, Granger. I'm in the middle of a very delicate part right now," Draco clenched his jaw and his fists.

"Ron, Harry, maybe now isn't the best ti -"

"He's always bleeding in here, though! How are we ever supposed to get a chance to look if he's always here!" Harry exploded.

Hermione took deep breaths as the tension ratcheted higher.

"Granger, what are you keeping from me?" Draco asked in a low voice as he gripped her elbow and turned her toward him. She narrowed her eyes at him. He may bully everyone else with his size and his werewolf intensity. But Hermione knew better than to be cowed by him.

"It's not your concern at this time," she bit out and wrenched her arm away from him.

"Harry, Ron -" Hermione began.

"No! I won't leave!" Harry shouted petulantly. Hermione groaned and threw up her hands.

"Fine, don't leave. Draco you stay here too. I'll leave. If you kill each other, I'll resurrect you and kill you again. Understood?" Hermione snapped as she whirled away. They were impossible. First, the adults were not taking responsibility for anything in this war and now her boys fighting over stupid things.

She left the Room of Hidden Things and slammed the door shut behind her, smiling at the resounding sound. That felt good. Maybe she just needed to go destroy a few things. She hustled out of the castle, summoning her cloak at the same time. She didn't have her apparition license yet, but Hermione wasn't worried. She knew the spell and the moves by heart. She managed to get to the first part of the Forbidden Forest and then apparated to the canyon that she and Professor Snape had been using to practice Fiendfyre.

She knew she oughtn't practice without him, but she had been practicing the boulder trick for weeks. She was up to controlling some truly massive boulders and felt sure she would be able to control the Fiendfyre, especially if she started with just a little and didn't let it grow exponentially as it was wont to do.

" _Ignis pe Fende_ ," she murmured and watched in fascination as the fire leapt from her wand and began circling the fallen log she was pointing at. She worked hard on controlling the size, keeping the raging flames small. Sweat beaded her brow as she fought against the flaming beasts within. When the log was no more and the flames started seeking a new target, Hermione whispered " _Mergit Ignis._ "

But nothing happened. She said it again. Twice. Three times. The flames were escaping her and growing larger. The flaming, voracious beasts engulfed a small tree and then another. She was growing frantic as she lost control of the fire and it swirled, encircling her. The sweat poured off her face as she worked on her control, and her hands shook at the power flowing through her wand.

Finally, she shouted, " _MERGIT IGNIS_!"

Suddenly the raging beasts came right for her. She closed her eyes and turned away from her wand hand. She pointed directly at the fire, bracing herself for impact from the ravenous creatures within the fire.

Slowly, very slowly, the fire began creeping back into her wand. When she finally felt the heat die down, there was just one fire beast left. The flaming wolf seemed to hesitate, resisting her pull as if it didn't want to leave her. But finally, gradually, she drew it into her wand.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Thanks as always to the lovely brownlark42. She's like a surprisingly warm Friday afternoon in the middle of October.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **I love reading your reviews! So let me know what you think! Also! By my count, there are 9 chapters left. And I'm ahead and have a schedule. I'm hoping to be done with this story right around Valentine's day!**

* * *

Harry couldn't believe Hermione just left him and Ron with the great prat in the Room of Requirement. Didn't she care about her friends at all anymore? And wasn't it a good thing if Malfoy couldn't get the vanishing cabinet to work? No vanishing cabinet, no Death Eaters in Hogwarts. Seemed like a win-win in Harry's book.

He sighed and scrubbed at his face. Clearly, nothing was going to be resolved at the moment. It was a showdown and Malfoy was too busy staring after Hermione to even bother insulting Harry or Ron. What was the world coming to that Malfoy couldn't be bothered to insult one of them?

"Fine, we'll leave. But just so you know, Malfoy, I need to search this room," Harry muttered.

"For what?" Malfoy asked as he tipped his head to the side, clearly curious about what they were keeping from him.

"None of your fucking business, is it?" Ron spat.

"Listen, Weaselbee, I get it. You're poor and broken and you think all these things can be put to good use," Malfoy swept his hand around indicating the huge room full of objects, most of them old and broken. "But this is just rubbish, better off looking elsewhere. Maybe I can find some castoffs at the Manor for you?"

Ron immediately turned red and whipped his wand out to point it at Malfoy.

"Fuck off you fucking half-breed!" Ron shouted and took a step closer.

"Calm down, mate," Harry told Ron and grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Temper, temper Weaselbee. The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Malfoy asked with a smirk.

"Seriously, Malfoy? Shut the fuck up or I won't hold him back," Harry responded.

Malfoy laughed, "I'm not scared of either of you. I can out duel you any day."

Malfoy brought his own wand up and raised it at Ron.

Harry threw up his hands, "Fine! Fight, I don't give a fuck anymore."

Ron cast the first hex, but Malfoy blocked it. Harry decided he had to stay out of this. Hermione was angry enough these days, and he didn't want to anger her further by ganging up on her boyfriend.

Malfoy got Ron's wand and started laughing at the other wizard. Ron ran at Malfoy and tackled him to the ground. Ron got at least one hit in before Malfoy overpowered him. Malfoy was grunting and ferocious in his counterattack against Ron, who was shorter than him by quite a bit. He got three punches into Ron's face before Harry dragged him off. Malfoy gave Ron one last kick in the kidney's before Harry managed to get the other two wizards separated entirely.

"You're a fucking psycho!" Ron shouted as blood dripped from his nose and a cut above his eye. He was a mess of red — red hair, red face, blood everywhere.

"No, I'm a fucking werewolf. Don't you forget it Weaselbee," Malfoy growled. He had dropped both wands in the scuffle and bent to pick his up. Then he kicked Ron's wand and it went spinning under a large cabinet. Malfoy wiped his own face with a handkerchief that he pulled from seemingly nowhere and left the room.

Harry was pretty sure he heard Malfoy mutter, "Fucking pricks," as he walked away.

"You alright?" Harry asked Ron as he summoned Ron's wand and handed it to him.

"I think he broke my nose," Ron muttered miserably.

Harry sighed, "Episkey," and tapped Ron's nose. A crack resounded throughout the room and Ron groaned in pain as the bones in his nose knit back together.

Ron wiped the blood off with the sleeve of his robe and they too left the Room of Requirement. Harry directed them back to the common room, instead of the Hospital Wing. It was best not go to Madam Pomfrey unless you had to after a fight.

"Think he's going to tell Hermione?" Ron asked as they reached the portrait hole.

"Probably," Harry replied glumly.

"He's a fucking prick," Ron swore.

* * *

"You what?!" Hermione shouted the following day at breakfast. Harry had just told her about the fight the previous evening in the Room of Requirement.

"Calm down, nobody's hurt. Steam has been blown off, it'll be fine," Harry said. Hermione glared at him.

"Two versus one is fine? Fighting isn't going to help anything!" Hermione screeched. Harry rolled his eyes. She clearly didn't know teenage boys.

" _I_ didn't fight. Malfoy and Ron did," Harry reminded her. Hermione's gaze narrowed further.

"You are both bloody impossible!" she got up and stomped away from the table.

Harry sighed; he really hated fighting with Hermione, but he didn't see how he and Ron were expected to play happy family with Malfoy. Malfoy was evil — he was a Death Eater for Merlin's sake. It should be Malfoy who has to accommodate them. Harry almost told Hermione that, but he was glad he didn't. He didn't need her to be mad at him about anything else.

Unfortunately for Harry and Ron, Hermione was very mad at them. She didn't speak to either of them for almost two weeks. It was Valentine's Day before she even looked their way without glaring.

"Er, Happy Valentine's Day," Ron mumbled as Hermione finally sat with them at breakfast. She raised her eyebrow at Ron but didn't say anything.

"Any plans for today?" Harry asked. It was a Wednesday, so they did have classes, but Harry assumed Hermione and Malfoy would find a way to spend some time together.

"You really want to hear about the date Draco has planned for us later?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Harry grimaced, "No, but I'm happy you are talking to us," it sounded like a question and Harry cleared his throat. "So even if it's about that gi— er Malfoy, I'm just glad you are talking to us."

Hermione nodded and offered a tense smile, "I don't want you fighting. Actually, it's more important than that. You can't be fighting. Draco is under a magnifying lens -"

"A what?" Ron asked.

"Muggle thing; he's being watched closely," Harry supplied.

Hermione nodded and continued, "The other Slytherins aren't all his friends. If he's being watched, you can bet I'm also being watched. I never even told you what happened on Christmas Eve."

Harry glanced around and while nobody was paying them any particular attention, he cast a precautionary Muffliato.

"What happened?" Ron prompted.

"I was introduced to Voldemort," Hermione said as she bit her lip.

"W-What?" Harry stammered. "How could you not have told us? Have you told Dumbledore?"

"I assume Professor Dumbledore is aware already. Professor Snape was there. He was the one who escorted Draco and me to and from Hogwarts. It's fine, I managed to not tell him any secrets and he's put me under his protection. Draco's got some task that he hasn't told me about that Voldemort wants done… at any cost, it seems."

"You have to find out what that task is, Hermione," Harry implored.

"I know," Hermione groaned and looked down at her plate of toast. "I've been trying for weeks, but he's been pretty mum about it. Always changes the subject when I ask."

Harry had a fleeting thought about what sorts of things a girlfriend could do to him to give up secrets, but he shook his head. Not only was he not going to suggest to Hermione that she do one of those things, he didn't want to think about Hermione and Malfoy doing any of those things. He shuddered and tried to think of something else. Quidditch stats. Charms homework. Anything.

The rest of the week went by as normal until Friday afternoon, when Harry was summoned to Professor Dumbledore's office.

He arrived at the gargoyle and gave the password. Professor Dumbledore was standing at the window behind his desk when Harry arrived. He turned and motioned Harry to take a seat, but didn't say anything. His hands were hidden in his sleeves so Harry couldn't get a look at the hand that had been blackened.

"Harry, I have some important information to impart to you. I hadn't planned on telling you quite so soon, but Professor Snape is concerned that time is short," Professor Dumbledore said as he turned from the window and settled at the desk.

"We've been speaking of Horcruxes for several months now. I believe I have identified them all."

"Really? Which are the last two? Any idea where any of them are?" Harry asked. This was the information they needed; this was finally progress.

"Ravenclaw's must be the Diadem of Ravenclaw. Alas, it's been lost for years. Perhaps a conversation with the Grey Lady would prove fruitful?" Professor Dumbledore suggested.

"And the last one?" Harry asked.

"His snake, Nagini," Professor Dumbledore said.

Harry hissed. Nagini was the snake that had attacked Mr. Weasley last Christmas. Harry had been wanting it dead ever since then.

"So we still have to find the locket, the cup, and the diadem. Assuming he keeps the snake with him?" Harry mused. "Anyway Professor Snape can just accidentally kill Nagini next time Voldemort calls him?" Harry asked.

Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "I don't think Tom would appreciate that. And as much enmity you have for Professor Snape, we still very much need him. The snake will have to be last, as all reports state that Tom keeps her close to him."

"Okay, so concentrate on the locket, the cup, and the diadem. Are there any photos or drawings of these items? Last known owners?" Harry asked.

"You'll make a fine Auror one day," Professor Dumbledore said as he pulled out his pensieve.

"I have a few memories for you to look at. They should enlighten you on what each of these objects looks like. View them as many times as you need," Professor Dumbledore said. He stood from his desk and stretched his back.

"I'm going for a walk, my boy," then he left Harry alone in his office. Harry took a deep breath and plunged headfirst into the first memory.

* * *

"Watch where you're going, Potter," Malfoy spat as he maliciously bumped into Harry in the hallway. Ever since his fight with Ron, Malfoy had been antagonizing both Harry and Ron.

"He's such a bellend," Ron grumbled as he steadied Harry with a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't let Hermione hear you say that," Harry mumbled.

"Say what?" Hermione asked as she caught up with them between classes.

"Nothing," Ron replied and reddened.

"You both are horrible liars," Hermione sniffed.

"Well, makes it easy on you then, doesn't it?" Harry asked with a grin. Hermione laughed in response and Harry was glad she was talking to them again.

"I have something to tell you both, meet in the Room of Requirement after dinner, all right?" Harry said as he and Ron headed toward Divination. He needed to tell his friends what Professor Dumbledore told him. They were a part of this and as much as Harry hated to admit it, he needed them. There was no way he was going to be able to figure it all out without Hermione's brains and Ron's strategies.

* * *

When Harry found himself running late to meet Ron and Hermione in the Room of Requirement, he at first thought it was lucky. He had stumbled on Malfoy and Lavender Brown, of all people. Lavender was hanging all over Malfoy and Malfoy wasn't exactly trying to push her away.

This was the proof Harry needed to take to Hermione. He knew Malfoy had been playing Hermione from the start. He was playing them all. He was probably loyal to Voldemort. Harry had taken a wrong turn and ended up in a deserted dead-end corridor. Malfoy's back was too him, but he could see the love-sick look on Lavender's face. It was the same look she had every time she was glommed onto Ron earlier in the year.

"What's going on here, then?" Harry demanded, as he pulled out his wand and stalked toward the two love-birds. A look of pleased recognition crossed Lavender's face before she schooled it into one of embarrassment. Harry narrowed his eyes — he'd have to follow up with Lavender once he was finished with Malfoy.

He watched as Malfoy's shoulders tensed and he turned around already gripping his wand, "It's not your business, Potter," he snapped.

"Well, I'm making it my business. You can't do this to Hermione!" Harry shouted and pointed his wand at Malfoy's chest.

"Don't point that thing at me if you don't plan to use it," Malfoy growled as he stalked slowly toward Harry.

Harry narrowed his eyes further, "Expelliarmus!"

Malfoy's wand stayed in his hand as he slashed and blocked Harry's spell. Malfoy sent back a curse that Harry rolled to dodge. Harry tossed a silent curse at Malfoy's, but Malfoy was able to elude it. Quicker than Malfoy could recover, Harry shouted the spell he'd been curious about for weeks, "Sectumsempra!"

Malfoy went down hard and fast. Blood immediately welled up in his chest and began flowing to the floor. Malfoy shuddered as more and more blood came up.

"Shit! Shit!" Harry said as he ran over to Malfoy. He had no idea what the spell was. He just knew that it had been in that book by the Half-Blood Prince and it had been labeled 'for enemies'. Malfoy was an enemy if there ever was one, but he hadn't meant to kill him. Malfoy was turning blue and the shaking was slowing, "Fuck! Lavender, go get help!"

Harry heard Lavender scurry away, and just as suddenly he was being pushed aside by Snape. Harry had no idea where he had come from, but he didn't care. He was thankful and grateful that the professor was there. He heard Snape mutter something; he was almost singing, and the blood that was covering the floor around Malfoy slowly crept back inside the boy's body. The huge, crisscrossing wounds on Malfoy's chest began to close. Harry was breathing hard and his hands were shaking. He had almost killed Malfoy. He had almost killed somebody. He had to get rid of that book. He ran past Malfoy and Snape, and bolted toward the Gryffindor common room.

He tore into the room and ran for his dorm. He didn't stop even when Ginny called his name in the common room, or when Neville tried in their dorm. He had to get rid of the evidence. He was in so much trouble. He ran to the Room of Requirement and thought about a place to hide the book, but the door wouldn't open. Why wouldn't the door open? Harry felt panic well up in his chest. He had to get rid of this damned book.

Suddenly he remembered he had been on his way to see Ron and Hermione. _Oh, Merlin, Hermione,_ Harry thought. If Snape didn't kill him, she would. He stopped pacing in front of the room and began to think about finding Ron and Hermione, then he started pacing again. The door began to appear and Harry dove for it. He wrenched the door open and found Hermione and Ron in a Gryffindor common room carbon copy.

"Get out! I need you out!" Harry shouted as he leapt forward and grabbed a hand of each of his friends, pulling them forward.

"Harry! That hurts!" Hermione said as she tried to pull her wrist from his grip.

"GET OUT!" Harry roared into her face as he pushed her and pulled Ron out of the room.

Finally, he was able to get his friends out of the room. Hermione upset and asking what was going on, and Ron was grumbling about Harry acting like a prat. He paced the hallway for the third time, thinking again about a place to hide the book he had stuck in the back of his pants.

When the door appeared, he whirled to his friends, "I'll be right back. Don't follow me."

He pulled the door open and closed it behind him, all the while thinking he needed to be alone. He found himself in Malfoy's room, the Room of Hidden Things. _The Room of Junk, more like,_ Harry thought as he wound through the aisles. He finally found an old bookshelf and he shoved the potions book onto the shelf and piled a few other things in front of it. Then he raced out of the room and to his friends in the hallway.

He was met with Snape standing in the hallway speaking to Hermione, "... control your friends Miss Granger."

"What did Harry do?" Hermione asked quietly.

Snape turned as Harry tried to quietly close the door behind him, "He found something that didn't belong to him and used a spell he didn't understand."

Snape glared at Harry and then swept away.

"It was that book, wasn't it, Harry?" Hermione asked. Harry felt sick. She still didn't know. Snape hadn't told her, not really.

Harry could only nod.

"Oh, Harry, what did you do?" she moaned as she stepped closer and put her hand on his shoulder.

"I— It— Malfoy was—"

Hermione's eyes got as round as saucers, "You cast an unknown spell on Draco?!"

Harry nodded and Hermione slapped him — hard. Then she spun away and sprinted toward the Hospital Wing. Harry rubbed his jaw, trying to relieve the ache. Hermione was small in stature, but she packed quite a punch. Harry couldn't be upset with her, though. He deserved it. He had been so stupid to cast an unknown spell at someone.

"Merlin, mate, I hate Malfoy just as much as you do…" Ron trailed off.

"I know, but, he was with Lavender and I thought…" Harry sighed. He didn't know what he thought. He still was sure Malfoy was playing with Hermione, but his actions today would not get Hermione out of Malfoy's clutches. Harry feared they would push her even further into his arms.

Harry turned out to be both right and wrong. He was right that Hermione was no longer speaking to him. She spent every free moment the rest of the month with Malfoy. But he found out he was wrong about Malfoy and Lavender. He finally cornered Lavender in the common room about a week after the incident.

"What is going on with you and Malfoy?" Harry asked. He had sent Ron on a run to the kitchens, so that he could have this conversation.

"Nothing," Lavender replied in her snottiest voice.

"What happened the other day?" Harry narrowed his eyes at her. He never really thought about Lavender, but she was being kind of a bitch.

"You mean when you tried to kill him?" Lavender asked.

"For fuck's sake, just tell me what the fuck is going on! Are you fucking him?" Harry whisper-shouted at her.

"Not for lack of trying," Lavender sighed.

"What?"

"Hermione always gets the decent blokes, she's such a cow. So I took Ron from her. Turns out she didn't want Ron, she wanted Draco. So I tried to take Draco too. He wasn't having any of it though," Lavender trailed off.

"You're sick," Harry said. "Stay away from my friends." He stormed off. He was even madder than before. Apparently, he hadn't accomplished anything. He interrupted nothing more than Lavender being a jealous slag.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: A day early my lovelies! I have a thing tomorrow night, so I figured you all deserved an update.**

 **Beta love to the incredible brownlark42. She's like going out with your girlfriends for the first time in ages.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **I love reading your reviews! So let me know what you think!**

* * *

Hermione had never been so angry with Harry.

Ron, yes, but not with Harry. They'd had arguments in the past, like during third year when Harry had the mysterious Firebolt. Yes, she and Harry argued then. Ron took his side, per the usual. But this time, Hermione didn't even care whose side Ron took. Harry had tried to kill Draco. Kill him. As in murder him dead so he was no longer alive.

Hermione wasn't sure that she could forgive him for that.

Harry claimed the whole thing was an accident. He said the spell in the book didn't explain what it was for. She could not imagine why Harry would be dim enough to trust anything hand-written in a mysterious book, especially after the incident with Tom Riddle's diary during their second year. When she thought about it, she was sincerely surprised that he'd lived through all of his bad decisions. But then she remembered how many times she, Ron, or someone else had helped him out of trouble. _The Boy Who Lived Despite Himself,_ she thought.

Hermione brushed thoughts of Harry and their strained friendship aside as she approached the Room of Hidden Things. She and Draco had completed the translation of the book Professor Snape had given him, and they were in the process of linking the spells together in order for the vanishing cabinet to begin working. The vanishing cabinet made Hermione uneasy. Every time she thought of Death Eaters like Bellatrix Lestrange slipping through the cabinet and into the school she felt sick.

Despite the swooping feeling she got in her stomach, she was determined to help Draco. She knew he couldn't kill Professor Dumbledore. Or if he could, it would ruin his life. It was bad enough to let Death Eaters into Hogwarts. How hard would it be for the wizarding world to forgive him for that? How much more difficult would it be if Draco was the one to kill the professor? No, it had to be someone else. Hermione just hoped to drive the war to a resolution as soon as possible. She was sure that her plans would move things along faster than anything the Headmaster or the Order had come up with.

If she could solve any frustration right now, it would be that one. Why wouldn't the Order take a more active role? There must things happening in the Ministry that she wasn't privy to. She, Harry, and Ron may have been unofficially inducted into the Order, but they weren't real Order members. Mrs. Weasley and Professor Dumbledore seemed determined to keep them in the role as "children." They weren't children anymore, and she wanted them to just tell her, Harry, and Ron what they needed. Dancing around issues wasn't helping anyone.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Draco asked as Hermione finally reached him in the depths of the Room of Hidden Things.

"The Order, Professor Dumbledore, Harry," Hermione muttered.

"Oh, so the usual," Draco smirked at her.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Draco reached out — quicker than Hermione thought possible — and snaked a hand around her waist to pull her close. Hermione tilted her head back to look into his ice blue eyes. She watched as his smirk faded and his look grew serious, then his eyes bounced down to look at her mouth.

Hermione had her bottom lip tucked between her teeth as she so often did when she was frustrated or concentrating. Draco bent his head and covered her mouth with his own and Hermione's eyes slid shut as she wound her hands around his neck and pulled him closer. He swept his tongue out across her bottom lip and took it into his own mouth. He soothed it with his tongue, before delving into her mouth. Hermione shivered at the feel of his tongue winding with hers. She would never tire of this man; she would never tire of his kisses and the way he made her heart beat faster.

She let the kiss continue for a few moments before she pulled away. Draco leaned his forehead on hers and for a moment they stood there, breathing each other's breath as their panting eased.

"We should get to work," Hermione murmured.

Draco nodded his agreement and stepped back from her, leading her the last few steps toward the vanishing cabinet.

They worked for several hours, but every combination of spells failed. There were seven spells that had to be used and they needed to get them in the right order. Hermione did the math in her head.

"We're going at this the wrong way, Draco. There are 5,040 ways to combine these spells. We need to do this more systematically, think about probabilities and strategies," Hermione said. She dug into her bag for a spare bit of parchment and started working through the calculations.

"How many combinations did we try tonight?" Hermione asked.

"Ten, I think?" Draco replied.

"So ten combinations, in…" Hermione trailed off as she looked at her watch, "... about two hours means it's going to take us more than a thousand hours to try them all. That's more than a month if we worked straight through… and we still need to sleep, attend class, and… you know… " she looked up at him a slight grin on her face.

"Fuck, we're never going to solve this. It's March already, and we're almost to the end of the year," Draco complained as he ran his hands through his hair, almost missing her small flirtation.

"Well, there are a couple of options. I think there are some combinations more likely to work than others. The two linking charms probably come first and last, then the movement through space charms and the disappearing charms fall somewhere in the middle. If we're very systematic in our approach, we will crack this long before the end of the year," Hermione said.

She ran through the numbers again and began writing down sequences for them to try.

"We should probably both have a copy of this," Draco pointed to the paper Hermione was using. "Anytime we have some free time, we come up and try a few combinations. They don't take that long to do."

"Agreed," Hermione hummed. "This is going to take me a bit if you wanted to head down to dinner." Hermione grinned up at him.

"I'd rather wait for you," Draco said as he took a seat on the floor next to her. Once he figured out what she was doing, he pulled out his own piece of parchment and began writing down the spell sequence starting the opposite direction Hermione did.

"Thank the gods for you," Draco muttered as he read over their work. They managed to come up with about two hundred and forty combinations that Hermione was reasonably sure included the correct one. It was way better than the 5,040 she had originally calculated. She just hoped that one of those two hundred and forty worked.

* * *

It was the end of March and the Easter holiday break was upon them. Draco had convinced Hermione to come back to Malfoy Manor with him for the holiday. The full moon was a few days after the break began, and Greyback wanted the whole pack together as much as possible. Draco hadn't told Hermione, but she suspected that the pack was being sent out on missions. They hadn't seemed active at all since Draco had joined, but judging by what was coming through the _Daily Prophet_ , the Dark Lord was ramping up his forces.

Hermione was dreading spending the break at Malfoy Manor. Not only would it not be a break for either her or Draco, the Manor was hardly going to be any more relaxing than Hogwarts. Not with Death Eaters living there.

And then there was the likelihood of meeting the Dark Lord or Bellatrix Lestrange again. Bellatrix was downright creepy and somehow more terrifying than the Dark Lord. Hermione could somewhat predict the Dark Lord's behavior, but Bellatrix was too volatile. Hermione shuddered when remembering the scene she had walked in on between Draco and Bellatrix. She was sure that had something similar happened to her, she would be a mess for weeks. Draco had buried his thoughts and feelings, in typical teenage boy fashion. Perhaps that was for the best. He had enough stress these days, and he didn't need to worry about an aunt he only saw every few months.

Professor Snape once more escorted Hermione and Draco to the Manor, and luckily this time their only greeting committee was Mrs. Malfoy. Hermione hadn't spent that much time with Narcissa over Christmas hols. She thought perhaps the distance was better, because wasn't sure she wanted to know what Draco's mother thought of her. If Mrs. Malfoy didn't approve? It didn't matter. She and Draco had a mate bond, there wasn't much to be done about it. Hermione decided it wasn't something she could spend any mental energy on right now.

Unlike Christmas, there wasn't to be any large celebrations during the Easter break. Hermione and Draco spent most of their time in the dueling court with the pack. Hermione quizzed every pack member who would talk to her about what it was like being a werewolf and what experiences they had in the wizarding world. She decided she would be writing a book or two after the war was over. Even more importantly, she wanted to campaign for werewolf rights. Hermione had long planned to join the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to champion house elf rights. Right now, werewolves were taking priority. While werewolves were classified as Beings — the same as the rest of the Wizarding population — they weren't allowed to be educated at Hogwarts and regularly faced job discrimination. It was a terrible stigma to be a werewolf, according to the general wizarding public. Hermione was determined to do something about it.

She stayed up late into the night discussing these thoughts and ideas with members of the pack, until Draco dragged her to bed. She wasn't doing it to endear herself to the pack, but that was an excellent side benefit. It was truly about the injustices she saw in the world and her passion for making the world a better place for her children.

The full moon had come and gone, and Hermione and Draco were due to have tea with Mrs. Malfoy in her solar. Draco had left to take care of some business with Gringotts and the estate earlier in the day, so Professor Snape escorted Hermione from the dueling court to Mrs. Malfoy's solar. Hermione wasn't sure she needed an escort, but she appreciated Draco's thoughtfulness. She certainly didn't want to be left alone with Greyback for any amount of time, and the thought of getting cornered by the Dark Lord or Bellatrix made the blood in her veins run cold.

Hermione hadn't seen Bellatrix at all since they arrived at the Manor and she was quite glad for it. She felt a squirm of uneasiness when she realized that she didn't really know where Bellatrix was. She wasn't sure if they had avoided her by hiding away in the dueling court or if Bellatrix was no longer staying at the Manor.

"Thank you for escorting me, Professor Snape," Hermione said. Maybe if she buttered him up, he would answer some of her questions.

"Of course, Miss Granger," he drawled without emotion.

"Can you tell me if Mr. and Mrs. Lestrange are still staying at the Manor?" Hermione asked. Better just get it over with. They had almost a week of break left and Hermione didn't want to be surprised.

Professor Snape glanced at her from the corner of his eye, "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"Bellatrix and Rodolphus have been living at the Manor since their _release_ from Azkaban," Professor Snape told her.

"I see," Hermione murmured. "Thank you."

Now she could at least brace herself. Hopefully she wouldn't run into Bellatrix anytime soon.

They were finally at the solar and Professor Snape pushed open the door without knocking.

Draco was slouched on the couch, unmoving. Hermione could just see the top of his head, and Bellatrix was straddling him.

Bellatrix's back was to Hermione, so she couldn't see what was going on, but Hermione gasped in horror. She knew Draco would be disgusted by the actions of his aunt. Hermione reached for her wand and went to stride across the room, but Professor Snape held her back with a firm hand to her shoulder.

"I'll take care of this," he murmured quietly.

Bellatrix either hadn't heard them come in or didn't care. Hermione wasn't sure which, but she wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter.

"Come to join the party? Severus? Mudblood?" Bellatrix cackled from her position atop Draco, who wasn't moving. She must have stupefied him.

"Really, Bellatrix. Your husband has pulled you away from your nephew several times now. Shall I go get him? Or can my suggestion that incest be left in the past where it belongs suffice?"

Bellatrix cackled again, "Don't be jealous, Sevvy! You can join in. The more the merrier, I always say. And besides, you've missed the last few revels. Your bollocks must be positively aching from being around all that teenage cunt and not being able to satisfy yourself."

Hermione shook her head in disgust. She never wanted to think about Professor Snape's bollocks. She was sure she was going to have to Obliviate herself after this.

"Kindly, leave the care and attention of my bollocks to me," Professor Snape said boredly. With a flick of his wand, Bellatrix flew off Draco and was set forcefully in an armchair across the room. Ropes snaked out of his wand and bound her to the chair.

"Severus! Let me go! I have important business with the Dark Lord! He's asked me to put a very valuable item in my Gringotts Vault," she growled as she struggled against the ropes. Professor Snape ignored her, and Hermione rushed forward to rennervate Draco.

"Hi," she said softly as his eyes focussed on hers.

"What happened?" Draco asked. He sat up straighter and took in the room around him. "Oh, gods, maybe I don't want to know," he said when he saw Bellatrix struggling in the corner.

"I don't think she did anything besides Stupefy you," Hermione said. She reached a hand out and threaded her fingers through his.

"Well, third time's a charm I guess. We're leaving," Draco said as he pulled Hermione with him. He brushed past Professor Snape and started leading Hermione down to the dueling court.

"What do you mean? What about tea with your mum?" Hermione asked.

"Draco," Professor Snape warned from behind them.

Draco whirled around, startling Hermione.

"I'm not getting sexually assaulted by my aunt for the fourth time. We'll be leaving the Manor and heading back to Hogwarts. Now."

He turned back around, still gripping Hermione's hand.

"Er, Draco, you don't have our Apparition license yet. How are we going to get there?" Hermione asked as she jogged to keep up with his long strides.

"We'll fly," Draco said shortly. And Hermione stopped in her tracks, pulling at his arm.

"Draco," Professor Snape said again as he stalked toward them.

"I'm not getting on a broom," Hermione told him. She hated flying, and wouldn't fly for anything. "Not by myself, not with you, not with anyone."

Draco stopped and looked back at Hermione. She couldn't quite interpret the look on his face, but she thought it might be disappointment.

Professor Snape finally caught up with them, "Draco, at least say goodbye to your mother before you leave."

"I won't fly all the way to Scotland," Hermione told him as she dropped his hand.

"I'll Apparate you both back if you wait for your mother," Professor Snape offered.

Draco glared at Professor Snape and Hermione's heart went out to him. Dealing with his insane aunt was one more thing he didn't have energy for. She reached back out to him and he pulled away from her. Her stomach dropped, Draco never pulled away from her. He must be more upset than she realized.

"Where is Mother?" Draco snapped.

"She should be along shortly…"

"Let's go pack, Granger," Draco stalked away from them and Hermione scurried to catch up with him.

She didn't say anything the entire way to the dueling court. She could feel his anger pouring off of him in waves and didn't want to risk his temper. She didn't deserve his anger, just because she didn't want to fly back to Scotland in March. They packed their things in silence and by the time they were on their way back to the family wing, Draco's anger seemed to have cooled. He gripped Hermione's hand tightly as he led the way with both of their bags shrunk and stuck in his pockets.

They were practically bombarded by Mrs. Malfoy as soon as they entered the family wing.

"Must you go, Draco?" she asked.

"Mother, I am not staying one more minute in this house with that crazy bitch," Draco spat.

"Draco," Hermione gasped. He never cursed at his mother or even about his mother.

Draco ignored her. He reached down and gave his mother a light hug.

"I'll see you in June," he said. He nodded to Professor Snape and pulled Hermione back toward the front of the Manor.

Hermione could hear Professor Snape striding behind them and was relieved that he had agreed to Apparate them back. She had no desire to ever get on a broom.

* * *

Back at the castle, Draco holed himself up in the Slytherin dorm and Hermione didn't see him for days. Both Harry and Ron were off at the Burrow for the holiday, and the castle mostly had seventh and fifth years staying who were busy studying for NEWTs and OWLs. Hermione decided to continue working on the vanishing cabinet.

They were a quarter of the way through the most likely combinations and Hermione was determined to get it halfway through by mid-April. This meant she had about sixty combinations to try in the next two weeks.

She used her work with the vanishing cabinet to distract her from how lonely she was feeling.

Hermione finally spoke to Harry and Ron both when they came back from the Burrow. Draco was still avoiding her, and she just wanted someone to talk to. She knew Harry was sorry for cursing Draco and had realized that she was still upset about it. She was most disappointed in his stupidity of following unknown instructions from a book.

Harry just never learned. But when Harry gave her a giant hug, she felt more weight lift off her shoulders than she could have ever expected.

They'd been back from the Easter holiday for a little over two weeks when Harry seemed to suddenly remember that he had planned to fill Hermione and Ron in on the Horcrux information he'd received from Dumbledore. He pulled them into the Room of Requirement on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

"Listen, I know what all of the Horcruxes are," Harry started off.

"Merlin's pants," Ron breathed. "Any hope of finding anymore? How many are there again?"

"It's Slytherin's locket. I think I've seen that one before because it looked very familiar to me. Hufflepuff's cup that I have no clue on. Ravenclaw's diadem. And then Professor Dumbledore is sure the last one is his snake, Nagini."

"What's a diadem?" Ron asked.

"Like a crown or tiara. It's been lost for centuries though," Hermione explained.

"Professor Dumbledore suggested speaking with the Grey Lady," Harry shrugged. "He thinks Nagini has to be last since Voldemort always keeps her with him."

"Alright, if we ignore the snake for a bit, then we have the locket, the cup, and the diadem," Hermione mused. "You've seen them all? You'll be able to recognize them?"

"I think so. Nobody has seen the diadem in hundreds of years, but I looked it up in the library —"

"You used the library?!" Hermione asked with a mockingly shocked expression on her face.

"Har, har. I'm not Ron. I do use the library on occasion," Harry replied and rolled his eyes.

"Hey!" Ron interjected.

Hermione smiled, it was good to have her best friends back. Her smile slipped as she thought of Draco. She wished he was talking to her. If he didn't speak to her soon, she'd have to resort to drastic measures.

"So how does a Horcrux get made? Any clues there?" Hermione asked.

"Murder and intent," Harry replied and rubbed his scar.

Hermione looked at his scar and felt as though she had been struck by lightning. Everything she knew about Dark magic and Horcruxes snapped together at once.

"Oh, fuck," she breathed.

"Hermione!" Ron said. Hermione hardly ever cursed.

"Oh, no. Oh, Harry, we have a problem. Fuck, why didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you?"

"Er, tell me what Hermione?"

"It makes so much sense," Hermione ran her hands through her hair and rubbed her face.

How was she supposed to tell her best friend what she just realized? She shouldn't have said anything at all. But it had just aligned so perfectly. Harry was a Horcrux. It all made sense. This was he was getting flashes of Voldemort, why he saw Mr. Weasley get attacked fifth year, and why his scar still hurt him. Oh, Merlin, what were they going to do. She looked up at Harry and felt her eyes fill with tears.

"What's going on Hermione. What should Professor Dumbledore have told me? What did you realize just now?" Harry asked.

"You're a Horcrux, Harry," she whispered.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N:** **Beta love to the incredible brownlark42. She's like the first sip of wine after a long week at work.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **I love reading your reviews! So does my beta! So let US know what you think!**

* * *

The end of April and most of May slipped away from Hermione with little contact with Draco. They met a few times in the Room of Hidden Things and slowly worked on the two hundred and forty best possibilities. Draco refused to talk about more than getting the vanishing cabinet fixed. She'd tried everything she could think of, even seduction. While that had worked to a degree, he still wasn't seeking her out. He wasn't speaking to her in any meaningful way.

She didn't know what else to do. Clearly, he was upset about his aunt and his mother's failure to protect him. Was he keeping other secrets from her? Or was he upset because she was keeping secrets from him? She didn't know, but she couldn't let the end of the year come and go without having some sort of resolution. Updates from the _Daily Prophet_ were making it clear that she may not be able to return to Hogwarts next year. It might be better if she, Harry, and Ron went on the run to find the remaining Horcruxes. The sooner found, the sooner they could end this war.

Maybe then Draco would start speaking to her again.

Hermione searched the library endlessly, looking for any information she could find on living Horcruxes. There wasn't much. She desperately wanted to know if there was a way to remove the Horcrux from Harry without killing him. She certainly couldn't use Fiendfyre on him. The Fiendfyre might kill the Horcrux, but it would decimate Harry's body too. The Horcrux somehow had to be extracted from Harry and put into something else. She didn't know if she could do that or if it was possible. If it was, it might mean going through the procedure to make a new Horcrux.

One of her books alluded to that, and she was horrified. In order to make a Horcrux, you had to kill your target, cut them open, and pull their heart out. Using blood directly from the heart would seal your ripped soul into the Horcrux of your choosing. Is this what the Dark Lord had done to Harry's mum? She'd never heard anything about how the bodies were found, nor had she had asked or looked for that information. She just didn't know and she didn't know who to turn to. Professor Dumbledore was clearly raising Harry to be sacrificed. It all made sense now. Hermione didn't know if she could trust Professor Snape or Professor McGonagall with this information. She just didn't know. She was at an impasse.

It was a beautiful Friday evening when Hermione finally ran into Draco again. She decided to work on the vanishing cabinet, since she didn't have anything better to do. They were about three-quarters of the way through the list and Hermione was determined to finish before the end of the year. One of them had to work. She didn't want to think about what would happen to Draco if they failed. Or what Draco would have to do in order to complete the task given to him by the Dark Lord. It was going to be better if Fenrir could do his part, but in order for that to happen, the vanishing cabinet needed to be fixed.

The Room of Hidden Things was dark and quiet when Hermione entered. She sent a Lumos at a few of the wall sconces as she made her way back to the vanishing cabinet. She looked at her charmed parchment. Draco had the other copy. She'd used a variant of the Gemino curse and the Protean charm so that when she crossed a combination off of the list, it crossed it off off on Draco's list too — and vice versa. She quickly added up how many combinations were left. Fifty-three. They were so close. She set her bag down and went to work. After three failed combinations, Hermione took a small break. She cracked her back and stretched her arms, flinging off her school robes as she rolled up her sleeves.

She was working on the fourth variant when the door the the Room of Hidden Things opened. She was concentrating so intensely that she didn't notice. The fourth variant didn't work either, and she immediately began casting on the fifth. When that one failed too she blew out a big breath. She'd known that the likelihood of finding the correct combination tonight was slim, but she so badly wanted to find the solution now. Maybe then Draco would talk to her again.

"How long have you been here?" he asked, startling her. She jumped and spun around, her wand pointed in Draco's face. His face was a cold mask and her shoulders slumped. He'd looked at her like that for weeks. Earlier in the year, he'd reserved that look only for others.

"Almost an hour," Hermione replied as she turned back to face the cabinet, and she heard Draco drop his bag behind her. After each variant, they placed an object in the cabinet to see if it disappeared. Sometimes it did, but when they closed the door again, it never came back. Most of the time, the object stayed where it was. This was one of those times. The green apple she'd snagged at dinner was still in the cabinet. She tuned out Draco and began working on the sixth combination she'd tried that night.

Something felt different this time. Not off, not right, just different. The magic combined and flowed in a new way. Draco had worked on about half of the combinations, so she wasn't sure if this was truly unique. Maybe he had experienced something similar with this trials. She opened the door to place the apple inside, and there was a slight sheen, a rippling in the air that hadn't been there before. She held her breath, trying not to be too hopeful.

She closed the cabinet door softly and there was a very faint whooshing sound. She'd heard that before and wrenched the door open. The apple was gone. She smiled, pleased that at least part of this combination was correct. The light sheen of magic was still in the air as she closed the door. She opened the door a second time and the apple was back. It had a bite had been taken out of it.

She turned back to Draco with wide eyes.

"Well done, Granger," he told her with a slight smile that softened his features. She grinned back at him and then looked down at the parchment. It was the one hundred and ninety-third combination listed.

"Now what?" she asked him. He turned to her and held out his hand. She grasped it and was relieved when he pulled her into a tight hug. She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him as he kissed the top of her head.

"Now, I invite some of my _brothers_ to the castle. And you stay out of the way," Draco murmured.

Hermione pulled back to look at him, "You know that's not going to happen, right?"

Draco smirked, "I can dream, can't I?"

Hermione snorted softly and shook her head, she leaned back into his embrace, thankful he was talking to her again. She couldn't believe how much she had missed him.

"What happens after Greyback kills Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked softly. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. She knew it meant she and Draco would go their separate ways. Hopefully not for long.

"I'll probably be expelled. And you'll be safely at Hogwarts," Draco told her. She didn't contradict him, even though she didn't think she'd be at Hogwarts much longer either.

* * *

The attack on Hogwarts didn't happen for several weeks, and Hermione felt as though she was on tenterhooks the whole time. She was snappy and on edge. Harry and Ron were avoiding her to some extent, because when she wasn't studying for exams, she was scolding them for not studying.

It was a Saturday evening in mid-June and Harry had been summoned for another 'special' lesson with Professor Dumbledore. Hermione didn't know how much more Professor Dumbledore had to tell him, but maybe he'd located a Horcrux. Hermione could only hope. The fewer Horcruxes she and Harry and Ron had to find next year, the better. She'd found a cracked pensieve in the Room of Hidden Things and had used it to view Harry's memories of the Horcruxes he'd seen — the diadem, the locket, and the cup. Harry was right. The locket did look familiar, but she couldn't place it either. She'd even spent some time meditating on it, trying to remember where she had seen it before. The diadem also looked familiar, but again, Hermione couldn't place it.

She was walking along the seventh floor corridor, toward the Room of Requirement and a meeting with Draco, when he came tearing toward her.

"It's happening, now," Draco snapped as he paced in front of the tapestry.

The door slowly appeared and he pulled it open. It was the Room of Hidden Things, not what she'd come to call 'Their Room'.

"Now? Tonight?" Hermione asked with wide eyes. She had known that this was going to happen and she'd been waiting for it, but she'd thought they had more time. She assumed they would be more prepared for it. She didn't feel prepared at all.

"Yes, now. Go back to your common room and stay there," Draco ordered as he pulled her in for a fierce hug.

"No! I'm coming with you," Hermione told him.

"Fine, but after they are in, you'll go."

Hermione nodded, but didn't agree. She'd go and rouse the rest of Dumbledore's Army. They would put up a fight against the Death Eaters. She could do nothing else.

Even if it meant fighting against Draco.

She followed him back to the vanishing cabinet and he pushed her behind him as he waved his wand. The doors opened and Death Eaters came pouring out. They were unmistakable in their heavy, black robes and intricate silver masks. She recognized Bellatrix and Rodolphus, but she couldn't place anyone else until the last person stepped through. Greyback emerged from the cabinet with a snarl. He wasn't wearing his mask, and he looked as if he'd half-transformed into a wolf already.

"Beta," Greyback growled.

"Dumbledore is away from the castle. We'll go to the Astronomy Tower and cast the Morsmordre to draw him back," Draco said.

Hermione was shocked. She didn't know they'd had this planned to this degree, that they would draw Professor Dumbledore out. She felt her blood run cold. Professor Dumbledore was out of the castle with Harry.

She peered around Draco's arm at Greyback, "Promise you won't hurt Harry," she pleaded with her Alpha.

"Beta's Mate, I make no such promises this night." And then Greyback and the rest of the Death Eaters were gone, striding out of the Room of Hidden Things and toward the Astronomy Tower.

"They'll be causing chaos along the way. Get to your common room. Now, Hermione!" Draco pleaded with her.

She nodded dumbly, in shock. The realization that she'd just helped Death Eaters get into Hogwarts was sinking in. She was as damned as Draco was now.

Draco pulled her in for a fierce, searing kiss before rushing away to follow his Alpha. Hermione stood for a moment longer, indecision raging through her. She would fight. She may have been part of this, but she knew where she stood in this war. Sometimes you had to do bad things for the greater good. It was something Professor Dumbledore seemed to understand, even if nobody else did. Something gleamed in the low candlelight as she turned to go.

She scolded herself. She didn't have time to go exploring this room, and yet, whatever it was was calling to her. She stepped forward and rounded the backside of the vanishing cabinet. There on the head of a mannequin sat the Diadem of Ravenclaw. She couldn't believe it. Had it been there the whole time? She snagged the diadem and tossed it into the beaded bag she'd been working on in secret. She'd placed an undetectable extension charm and a couple of lightweight charms on it. She'd taken to carrying around her entire library, as well as her wardrobe and other necessities. She'd even slowly begun to pack things for Harry and Ron. She knew this night would change everything.

Hermione raced out of the Room of Hidden Things and by the time she was in the hallway, the Death Eaters were gone. A false calm had descended, but Hermione knew better. The storm was coming.

Digging into her pocket, she came up with her fake D.A. galleon and charmed a short message onto it: 'D. Eaters in Hgwts'. They hadn't been used much this year, because the D.A. had partially disbanded with Professor Snape now teaching Defense. She hoped some members still carried theirs with them. She didn't want to be fighting alone in the corridors, but she was the only person who knew Harry was with Professor Dumbledore.

She could at least get Ron. Hermione raced off to the Gryffindor common room and found Ron and Neville immersed in a heated game of wizard's chess.

"We have to go, Ron," Hermione said as she gripped his arm and pulled him up.

"Just got your message, Hermione," Seamus said as he joined them. "How do you know?"

"Saw them pouring out of the Room of Requirement," Hermione said quietly.

"Wh-" Hermione cut Ron off with an elbow to his ribs.

"I'll explain later, Ron. Right now, we have Death Eaters in the school heading up to the Astronomy tower, and Harry and Professor Dumbledore are gone."

Ron's eyes widened and he gripped his wand. "Alright, you sent the D.A. messages?"

Hermione nodded, and Ginny and Dean soon joined them.

"Fine, let's get out there. Any idea where Harry and Dumbledore were going this time?" Ron asked and Hermione shook her head.

"Dean, Ginny, go to the Ravenclaws. Tell them to pull any fourth years and below into the dorms. Fifth years and above can come out to fight," Ron commanded, completely in his element. "Neville, Seamus, do the same for the Hufflepuffs. I'll make an announcement here. Let the snakes worry about themselves."

Ron announced to the Gryffindor common room what was going on and directed half of the seventh years to the library. Curfew wasn't for another couple of hours, and with exams so close, they could bet the library would be full.

"Guard the common rooms and get the younger years behinds extra wards if you can," Ron directed. Then he and the rest left the common room. For all of Ron's faults, he was a good leader, Hermione thought.

They raced through the halls, and Ginny and Dean broke off and headed toward the Ravenclaw tower. Neville and Seamus left for the Hufflepuff dorm in the basement. Hermione and Ron ran toward the Headmaster's office, hoping they'd run into a professor or two along the way. Just outside of the gargoyle that guarded the headmaster's office, Professor Snape and McGonagall were having a serious discussion.

"Professor McGonagall!" Ron shouted as they ran up to them.

"Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, what is the meaning of this?"

"Death Eaters are in the school," Hermione blurted out, staring directly at Professor Snape.

"Merlin," Professor Snape cursed softly.

"Go, Severus," Professor McGonagall ordered. "I'll alert the other professors and the Order."

Professor Snape, apparently knowing where the Death Eaters planned to go, ran toward the stairs.

"You two, back to your common room," Professor McGonagall ordered.

"Not a chance," Ron replied as he dragged Hermione in the direction Professor Snape had gone.

They were the floor below the entrance to the Astronomy Tower when the entire hallway went black.

"Peruvian Darkness Powder," Ron muttered. "George and Fred sell it."

"I'm going to have to speak to them about who their customers are," Hermione growled as she and Ron felt along the walls to find the stairs. She was desperate to get to the top of the Astronomy Tower. She needed to find Draco and Harry. Her heart pounded in her ears as she and Ron slowly made their way along the hallway.

They finally reached the stairs and were climbing them when someone rushed past. Hermione shrank into the wall as much as possible and stopped breathing, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't notice and move on. When they kept going, she breathed a sigh of relief.

At the top of the stairs, the hallway was in pandemonium. Teachers and students were fighting Death Eaters. Draco and Harry were nowhere to be seen, and Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape were both missing. Hermione worried about what this meant, but resolved to fight her way down the hallway and to the stairs leading up to the Astronomy Tower.

She and Ron jinxed, hexed, and cursed in tandem, protecting each other as much as possible. They couldn't stop every spell from landing. They were halfway down the hallway when Hermione turned and caught a nasty slicing hex directly in the shoulder. She was bleeding heavily when Ron pulled her into an alcove behind a tapestry. They were both panting from the exertion.

"Shite, we gotta stop the bleeding," Ron muttered as he pulled Hermione's jumper up from the waistband to get to the wound.

"Gods," Hermione breathed, as she hunched over and allowed Ron to heal her. "That hurts!"

Ron muttered a healing charm that Hermione hadn't learned before and was shocked, "Mum taught me," he said by way of explanation. Hermione could feel her skin stitching back together.

"When this is over, I'll find Madame Pomfrey and a Blood-Replenishing Potion," Hermione promised as Ron lowered her shirt. She was still soaked with blood.

"Fuck, Hermione. The battle isn't slowing," Ron breathed as he peered around the tapestry. He stepped back, and Hermione felt herself sway from pain and adrenaline. Ron put his arms around her to steady her, and suddenly they were so close to each other that Hermione could feel the rapid rise and fall of his chest against hers.

"I know, but we have to get to the Astronomy Tower," she breathed in and out slowly to stop her head from spinning.

"What do you know?" Ron asked.

"Too much, not enough."

Suddenly, the tapestry was ripped aside. Fenrir Greyback stood in the entryway.

"What do we have here, Beta's Mate? A lover's tryst? In the heat of battle? Naughty," Greyback stalked forward and Hermione pushed Ron behind her, despite his sound of protest. Greyback couldn't be trusted, not like this. He looked like a half-transformed wolf with the heat of the battle raging through his veins.

"Alpha," Hermione said and showed him her neck in submission. She hoped and prayed he wouldn't smell the fear rolling off of her in waves, but she knew too much about werewolves. Of course, he felt her fear. He also could hear her heart hammering in her chest and see the blood pumping through the veins in her neck — the neck she offered to him in submission. She also vaguely registered that she must reek of blood.

"Beta's Mate," he growled as he leaned in and dragged his nose from the base of her neck to her ear, inhaling the entire time. "You smell delicious," he murmured.

Behind her, Ron could hear everything. They were practically standing nose-to-nose in the small alcove.

"You leave her alone!" Ron shouted and he shoved Hermione aside to confront the wolf.

"No! Ron!" Hermione screamed and Greyback smirked at her. Smirked.

Then he leaned forward in one smooth movement and ripped Ron's throat out. Blood and gore sprayed in every direction. Hermione was covered with blood as Ron made a gurgling sound and his heart beat faster, pumping the blood out more quickly. He slumped slowly to the ground and Hermione followed him, clinging to him and cradling him to her body.

"Let this be a lesson, Beta's Mate. You belong to my Beta. You belong to me," Fenrir growled before he turned away, not looking back. Hermione huddled in the dark behind the tapestry, holding Ron in her shaking arms, as his life slipped away from her.

* * *

 **#sorrynotsorry... er... don't hate me...**


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Whew, that last chapter was intense! That ending tho... This one isn't a whole lot better. But maybe?**

 **Best beta ever is brownlark42. She's hot chocolate on a cold fall evening.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

 **I love reading your reviews! So does my beta! So let US know what you think!**

* * *

The hot rush of blood in Fenrir's mouth excited him in ways he knew he should try to hide from his Beta's Mate. He growled a warning to the witch and left her in the alcove, dropping the tapestry behind him.

He hoped that would keep her out of the worst of the fighting. She was pack and it was the best thing he could do to protect her. He needed to find his Beta and take care of Dumbledore. Fenrir didn't bother wiping the blood from his mouth and chin. He savored the taste as he lifted his nose in the air, sniffing out his Beta.

He followed the trail after attacking a few more humans, not killing any of them, just maiming. Maybe they'd turn into werewolves, maybe not. Fenrir didn't much care. He soon found himself climbing the tower stairs. Having not attended Hogwarts himself, he was disoriented in the large castle and had to rely on his scent of smell. Mostly he smelt fear and piss. There were three or four people standing above him in the tower proper. He strained his ears to hear heartbeats, but it was hard to find them with the chaos of the battle raging below.

When he emerged at the top of the tower he found Draco, Dumbledore, and Snape. "Well, the gang's all here. Shall we begin, Beta?" Fenrir asked as he stalked forward to stand next to Draco. He glared at Snape. The man was always around, taking the glory from Fenrir and his pack.

"Greyback," Dumbledore said weakly. "How did you get inside the school?"

"Walked right in, actually," Fenrir replied with a grin. He took a look around the tower — the green light of the Morsmordre hung above them all. He thought he heard a scuffling in the corner and peered there, but Dumbledore brought his attention back to him.

"What did you do, Draco?" Dumbledore asked plaintively. The old man was weak as he propped himself up against the battlements. Fenrir sniffed. It was Dumbledore's piss he was smelling. If he was so scared, maybe the old man knew what was coming for him. Everyone was scared of death, even the most powerful wizards.

"What I had to do to keep my family alive," Draco spat. He held a wand in each hand, and Fenrir assumed he had already disarmed the headmaster. "And you never even figured it out did you?" Draco taunted.

Fenrir smirked and clapped his Beta on the shoulder.

"Oh, Draco. You should have come to me," Dumbledore lamented. He slipped, but caught himself and stood once more.

"Why? So the Dark Lord could kill my whole family? No! You don't have all the answers, Professor. Some things are beyond even you!"

"I would have helped you. I could still help you. You have options," Dumbledore pleaded.

"Options? You are behind the times old man. I'm a Death Eater now," his Beta lifted the sleeve of his left arm, showing his Dark Mark. "And I'm Beta in the largest werewolf pack in Britain. I have no options. Only the ones set before me by men better than you."

Dumbledore gasped, "So soon? I thought you were close to Miss Granger… I thought she would influence you in another direction."

"Do not speak of her! You know nothing about her!" Draco shouted at the headmaster. Fenrir nodded approvingly. His mate was pack business.

"I know she is against the Death Eaters, Draco. She's against Tom. I can't speak for Greyback, but I have to assume if she knew what I know about him, she'd be against him too," Dumbledore replied.

"My mate is quite aware of her Alpha, Dumbledore," Draco growled.

Fenrir smirked at the scene in front of him, gratified that his Beta wasn't so sensitive after all. He'd been worried after the last few revels that his Beta couldn't handle violence. Not everyone liked the type of violence that Fenrir relished, but passivity was a serious problem for a werewolf and a Death Eater.

"There are always options, young Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore coughed and slipped. He was leaning against the parapet heavily.

"What's wrong with him?" Fenrir asked. It looked like someone had gotten to the headmaster first, which made Fenrir irrationally angry. It was his Beta's task to kill the headmaster, and Fenrir had been planning to do the duty for his Beta. As a gift. He knew that his training had been hard for Draco, and he knew his Beta had only killed Dolohov because it had been close to a full moon and Fenrir had goaded him into it. The moon was only about mid-cycle now, and Fenrir wasn't sure Draco would be able to work up enough anger to kill the old man.

"I hope you didn't leave a wake of bodies behind you, Greyback," Dumbledore glared at him, in judgment and sorrow. The glare of a dying man didn't scare Fenrir.

"Only one," Fenrir promised with a grin. "Well, only one dead confirmed. Who knows if the others will succumb to their injuries."

Dumbledore gasped and coughed, not taking his eyes off Fenrir.

"This is a war, old man. Casualties happen. I am always happy to supply them," Fenrir smirked. Again, he thought he heard a noise in the corner and he turned his gaze in that direction. Something there moved. He went to step closer, but Snape caught his arm and shook his head. Fenrir didn't want to defer to the man, but as he listened closer, he could hear sounds of the battle nearing.

Suddenly, it wasn't the four of them anymore. Bellatrix and the Carrows emerged on the landing.

"Ooo, ickle Draco kill the big, bad, headmaster yet?" Bellatrix asked in her babyish voice as she danced around the tower.

The Carrows laughed uproariously like it was the funniest thing they'd ever heard. Fenrir rolled his eyes. They were hangers-on of the worst kind.

"Come on, my Draco," Bellatrix taunted, standing close behind him and whispering in his ear.

"Get the fuck off me," Draco growled as he whirled around and pointed his wand at his aunt.

"Dissension in the ranks already, Draco?" Dumbledore asked, and then began coughing again. Fenrir was done with this. It was time to go before the Headmaster's reinforcements arrived.

"Let's get on with it," Fenrir growled as further shouts from below wafted up. Draco pointed his wand at Dumbledore and Fenrir thought for sure the boy was going to cast the killing curse.

Dumbledore spoke again, "Draco, please. You aren't a killer."

"You don't know me!" Draco screamed at the old man, his wand arm shaking in his fury. "You don't care about me! You only care about your precious P-Potter!"

Dumbledore turned to Snape, who had been standing silently this whole time, "Severus… please."

Shockingly, Snape raised his wand, but Fenrir launched into action. Before Snape could get a word out, Fenrir ran forward and tackled Dumbledore, lifting him up and over the parapet. He watched as the old man fell seven stories and crumpled, unmoving, on the rocks below. He couldn't tell from this height, but he hoped the wizard made a big splat.

"Time to go," Snape said softly. He grabbed Draco by the back of his robes and shoved him forward. "Let's go, Greyback. Bellatrix, bring your pets."

Greyback took off after Snape and Draco, while Bellatrix and the Carrows following closely behind. Snape was pushing Draco, every time Draco tried to slow and look around, Snape gave him another push forward. They were clear of the tower when Potter suddenly appeared behind them, sending curses at the group.

"Death Eaters, out!" Bellatrix cackled as Fenrir exchanged curses with the Potter boy. Snape came back and started hauling him away, blocking Potter's curses, but not sending any back.

"Go, Greyback. Get Draco out of here," Snape commanded, shoving Greyback behind him.

"Fight back you coward!" Potter screamed at Snape.

"You sure?" Greyback didn't care for Snape, but he didn't want to answer to the Dark Lord for getting the man killed.

"I'm sure," Snape replied as he dodged a Cruciatus Potter threw at him.

"You have to mean it, Potter!" Snape called, blocking another curse.

Greyback turned from the fighting pair to see Bellatrix and the others running for the entrance of the castle. He followed, pulling Draco behind him and Draco didn't resist until they came to the hallway. He pulled back and stood sniffing as if trying to smell his mate. Fenrir knew there was no way that Draco would be able to parse out her scent with her covered in blood.

"Where is she? Alpha, did you see her?" Draco asked.

"I saw her. She's fine. Left her in an alcove." Fenrir chuckled darkly as he thought of the dying boy he had left with her. "She won't be leaving anytime soon."

"She wasn't the one you killed?" Draco demanded.

Fenrir looked at the boy with disgust. Is this what his Beta thought of him?

"Of course not!" Fenrir snapped as he slapped the boy upside the head. "We've got to go, come on." He tugged at Draco's arm and they sprinted toward the entrance of the castle with the rest of the fleeing Death Eaters.

They finally made it out onto the grounds with only Potter and a few of the other fighters pursuing them.

"They've killed Dumbledore!" Potter screamed as he shot hex after hex at Snape. Greyback didn't envy the man.

Someone was finally holding Potter back, "Let them go," Fenrir heard someone say over the wind in his ears. The light of the Morsmordre made the lawns a sickly green as Fenrir pushed Draco forward toward the gates. The sooner they got to the gates, the sooner they would be back at the Manor. He hoped the Dark Lord wouldn't punish his Beta for Fenrir's actions. He thought he could spin things in Draco's favor. He didn't want to lose his Beta, and he would do anything to protect his pack.

* * *

"The old fool isss dead?" the Dark Lord asked the assembled Death Eaters in front of him.

"Yes, my Lord," Fenrir replied. They hadn't gone much further than the drawing room of the Manor before the Dark Lord was upon them and asking questions. The Dark Lord hadn't even allowed them to stand. They were still all kneeling before him.

"How did you get into the cassstle?"

"Vanishing cabinet, my Lord. Draco —"

"Sssilence!" the Dark Lord hissed, cutting Fenrir off.

"Your cover, Ssseverusss?"

"Blown, my Lord," Snape answered darkly.

"Unfortunate. But no matter," the Dark Lord muttered and waved his hand. Fenrir looked down again at his knees.

"Who killed him?"

"I did, my Lord," Fenrir replied.

"Not Draco?"

"No, my Lord. There wasn't time, and the resistance was about to be on us. I made a decision as the commander of the group," Fenrir lifted his head and caught the Dark Lord's gaze.

"And what happened with the vanishing cabinet?"

"Draco found it in the school and repaired it. Its counterpart is in Borgin and Burkes. I purchased it and brought it here to the Manor. Dumbledore knew before his death, but I don't think anybody else in the castle would be aware."

"Very well done, Draco. The vanishing cabinet isss a nice touch. Not employed all that often anymore," the Dark Lord praised Draco. "Ssstand, all of you."

They stood as one.

"The Minissstry will fall now. Ssseverusss, you will return to Hogwartsss and become Headmassster."

"Thank you, my Lord. I am most honored," Snape replied.

"Draco, my faithful ssservant, you will leave ssschool and ssserve me."

"My Lord, I thank you for your favor," Draco said as he bowed his head.

"Fenrir, thank you for your asssissstance, however, Draco wasss directed to kill Dumbledore. And for that, you ssshall be punissshed. Crucio," the Dark Lord hissed.

Fenrir fell to his knees and cried out. Fenrir could sustain pain, even a Cruciatus, but he'd learned that showing it made the Dark Lord give up faster. Luckily, the Dark Lord was feeling merciful, and he stopped after two short rounds of the Cruciatus and waved the group away.

Fenrir hauled himself to his feet, and Draco propped himself under his arm. He was thankful for his Beta's kindness then. Fenrir knew he did the right thing by killing Dumbledore. The boy wasn't weak, but there was no way he would have been able to handle the murder this time. His Beta would learn with time.

Together, they limped toward the dueling court to join the rest of the pack. Fenrir felt happy, despite his recent torture. His Beta was home for good.


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: I said this a few chapters ago, that this story is only slated for 39 chapters. We're at 34 already, so the end is coming soon! Ahhh! I hope you all are as excited as I am! And you all got this chapter a day early because I'll be traveling tomorrow. So enjoy! And drop me a review to let me know what you think!**

 **I would be lost without brownlark42 who is the best friend and beta a girl could ask for.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

Draco dodged a misfired spell as he slipped from the house. He followed his pack out to the garden and Apparated with them back to the Manor. They filed through the dueling court and Draco looked at wounds, passing out healing potions and sleeping draughts as necessary.

"Beta," Seff motioned him over. He was hovering over Bledig, one of the oldest wolves in the pack.

Draco strode closer as he swiped a few more healing potions from a nearby table.

Bledig had suffered a major wound to his thigh. It looked as though his femoral artery was nicked and he was bleeding heavily. Seff has mercifully knocked him out, but Draco couldn't fathom why he hadn't been alerted through the collective that someone was so injured.

"Shite," Draco muttered as he siphoned some of the blood away. "Where's your wand, Seff? I'm going to need your help."

Draco was suddenly thankful that Hermione had been reading so much about healing magic. He'd taken to reading the books she finished, and he was never so thankful as he was right now. He knew exactly what needed to happen to heal Bledig and prevent a pack death.

He worked quickly. Seff helped siphon blood as Draco dug into Bledig's leg for the torn artery and repaired it. Then he closed the wound in the leg and poured two doses of Blood Replenishment potion down Bledig's throat. It was a good thing that Bledig was a werewolf. Had he been human, he probably would have died long before Draco could have tended him.

The pack was fractured. They were upset at the direction Fenrir was taking them and threatening to mutiny. He was trying to hold them together the best he could and was thankful he wouldn't be going back to Hogwarts anytime soon. Something was wrong with Fenrir, and Draco wasn't sure he knew what it was.

Not only was the pack hanging on by a thread, but Granger, his Mate, the love of his life had disappeared with Potter and Weasley, and Draco had no idea where they were. He didn't even know if she was okay. He could just barely feel her through the mate bond, and he didn't know what that meant. He mentally kicked himself for shoving her away after Easter hols. How stupid was he? Hermione was the only one who had consistently shown she was on his side. And he shoved her away because he was angry she didn't trust him enough to get on a broom with him? He was a class A idiot. And now he was paying for it.

He finished cleaning the blood off Bledig, himself, and Seff as he looked around the dueling court. Bledig by far was the most seriously injured. They'd attacked a Muggle home, and Draco wasn't even sure how the injury happened.

"How did he get this, Seff?" Draco asked. He was beginning to think someone was purposely sabotaging raids. Every time they came back from a raid at least one werewolf was seriously injured. More injured than they should have been, considering they were attacking Muggles.

"I'm not sure, maybe a misfired spell?" Seff suggested.

Draco didn't like this at all. He would have to find a way to talk to Rand. Maybe he would know what was going on? After Fenrir's warning over Christmas, Draco didn't want to be seen seeking Rand out. It would have to be done under Fenrir's nose.

"Seff, we need to chat," Draco said quietly as he directed Bledig back to his tent to recuperate. They laid Bledig on the bed and left the tent with an alarm set on Seff's wand to check him in an hour.

"I need to arrange a meeting with Rand that Fenrir doesn't know about," Draco told Seff.

Seff's eyes widened, "Beta, you don't…"

"Why was Bledig injured? We attacked Muggles, at night, in their beds. They put up almost no fight. Think, Seff!"

"You think someone is sabotaging us."

"I know it, and I need to figure out who. We all know how unstable Fenrir is. He cannot be involved."

"Alright. I'll let you know what I can arrange," Seff bowed his head deferentially and walked away.

Draco ran a hand through his hair, tugging on the long ends that almost swept his shoulders these days. He didn't have the pressure from school or trying to get Death Eaters into Hogwarts anymore, but it seemed he had new stressors to worry about. He may have to take Fenrir out earlier than necessary, but Draco was worried. There was an unknown element in the pack that he couldn't predict and he didn't know who was leading it. Was it Rand? Was he playing Draco? Was it Fenrir himself? Draco didn't think Fenrir was coming unhinged, but he couldn't completely discount the possibility. And that possibility was terrifying.

* * *

 _M,_

 _Meet me at the shack on Thursday at noon._

 _-YM_

Draco stared at the short missive the owl had just dropped in his lap. He knew who it was from. He would recognize her handwriting anywhere. YM. Your Mate. Draco took a deep breath and closed his eyes to keep the tears that were building from spilling. It had been weeks since he'd seen her. It was already Thursday. He cast a Tempus charm and 11:30 briefly appeared in glowing red numbers. Either she just sent the owl or the owl had come from a long way. Draco didn't care. He couldn't wait to see her again.

He had been sitting at the center of the dueling court, reading the _Daily Prophet_ as he watched some of the pack duel others. Fenrir was nowhere to be found, which was a relief. The pack always seemed lighter when he wasn't around.

"Seff," Draco called and the Omega trotted to him from where he'd been speaking with Rand.

"Tonight," Seff said in greeting. "After midnight."

Draco nodded his head. "I'm going out. I'm meeting Hermione."

Seff grinned at him. "So, maybe I should have Rand reschedule for tomorrow night?"

Draco chuckled, "I'll be back in time for dinner."

"Reeking of sex…" Seff muttered.

"Don't be jealous," Draco smirked. "It doesn't suit you."

"Get out of here, go see your Mate. Maybe you'll be less of a grouchy bastard when you get back," Seff shot back.

Draco grinned and clapped Seff on the shoulder before walking out of the dueling court and heading outside to Apparate to Hogsmeade.

Hogsmeade was warm and sunny and Draco lifted his face to the sun for a few moments. He stepped into the main thoroughfare from the Apparition site with a jaunty step. He was brimming with excitement to see his Mate. He could only hope she came alone and didn't have Potter or Weasley with her. He sneered in disgust at the thought of the wonder duo. He understood they were her friends, but that didn't mean he had to like them.

As soon as he cleared the village and the Shrieking Shack was in sight, he could smell her. Apples, fall trees — despite the late spring sunshine — cinnamon, and home. It was her. He sniffed again trying to figure out if she had brought her friends, but he didn't smell any other humans around. He grinned as he walked around the back of the shack. It was unlikely anyone would see him breaking into the shack, but still better to enter from the back. As soon as he rounded the side of the building, he spotted boards neatly stacked that had been nailed over the door. She'd left him a way in. He could only hope that meant she was ready to forgive him for being such a colossal prat.

He pulled the door open and suddenly had a wand pointed in his face. He raised his hands as he stared down Hermione's wand into her face. She looked a mess. Her eyes were red as if she'd been crying, and her clothes were dirty and she looked wan and thin as if she hadn't been eating well.

"Where was the first place we kissed?" she demanded, her voice as hard as steel.

"Tomes and Scrolls. Still the best kiss of my life," Draco replied, smiling softly.

She lowered the wand slowly, and Draco pulled her into his arms. She was crying almost immediately.

"Gods, I missed you, Granger," Draco said as he buried his nose into her bushy hair, inhaling her scent. He had — he'd missed her so much. Not just in the weeks since the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, but also in the weeks before school had ended, after their fight at Easter hols.

"Draco," Hermione cried into his chest, her hands fisted into his robes as he held her close. He soothed her and rocked her. He had no idea why she was so upset, but he was sure part of it was just stress of not seeing each other in so long.

"I'm glad you were able to get away from Potter and Weasley," Draco said quietly into her hair. That set off a new round of sobs that Draco just didn't understand. Was she fighting with her friends?

"Hermione? What's wrong, love?" Draco pulled back to look at her. Her face was red from the tears and her nose was snotty. She wiped her face with the back of her hands.

"You don't know? Greyback didn't tell you?" she asked weakly.

Draco shook his head, "Tell me what?"

"Ron's dead. Greyback ripped out his throat. Right in front of me. The night Professor Dumbledore died. And… Draco, gods. It's my fault!" Hermione cried as she slipped from his hands and slumped to the floor.

He hadn't known. Greyback hadn't said anything. He thought back to that night on the Astronomy Tower. It was one of the worst nights of his life. Greyback had said something about bodies, but Draco had never asked him anything about it. Oh, gods, he was fucking stupid. He had no idea.

"Fuck, Hermione. Fuck!" Draco shouted as he whirled away from her and kicked a ragged kitchen chair. He realized they were standing in what passed for a kitchen in the Shrieking Shack.

Hermione was still on the floor in tears. She thought it was her fault Weasley was dead. But it wasn't. It was Draco's. Draco had been the one who let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, and Weasley had paid the price.

And Hermione thought it was her fault. She had helped him. She wouldn't have helped him if she wasn't his Mate. If he weren't a werewolf, none of this would have come to pass. Could he give her up? He looked down at her. Her sobbing had quieted and he suddenly understood the red-rimmed eyes, the dirty clothes. She must have gone on the run after the Ministry fell.

It didn't matter. The past was the past. She was his Mate. He would do anything for her. He would do anything to protect her. He knelt next to her and gathered her in his arms once more.

"Granger, Hermione, Mate," he crooned as she clung to him. "It's not your fault. None of this is. Greyback is at fault. And I will kill him. I promise you," Draco said.

He felt the magic stir around them. He had just vowed to her that he would kill Greyback, his Alpha. And he would.

Hermione didn't start crying again, but she did cling to him, holding him tightly. He reveled in the feel of her pressed against him. He had missed her more than words could say and he wanted to drink her in, to mold himself to her so they would never be apart again.

When she seemed calm, he spoke again, "Where are you staying?"

"Harry's got a place. It's safe-ish, but it's been a little rough. We didn't want to go to the Burrow. The Weasley's have enough going on without two of the most wanted also living in their house."

"Most wanted?" Draco asked. What was she talking about?

Hermione huffed a humorless laugh, "You haven't seen my wanted poster? I rate 25,000 galleons."

"Shite," Draco breathed. He hadn't known, but he had known about the Ministry. And that the always Dark Lord was after Potter. He'd been questioned extensively if he could access Potter through Hermione. And Draco hadn't even needed to lie. He couldn't even access Hermione, let alone Potter. Thank the gods for a werewolf's natural ability to Occlude.

"You need a better place to stay. Would you stay with me?" Draco asked hopefully.

Hermione shook her head, "I can't. Harry's got this… this project from Professor Dumbledore. I have to help him."

"Would you consent to stay at a Malfoy property then? So I know you are safe?"

Hermione looked like she was thinking hard about it. It was clear that wherever they were staying wasn't safe enough.

"I'm Head of Malfoy family. I have access to properties that nobody else, not even my mum, has access to. Nobody can access them, even if I were to die. Mother still wouldn't be able to get to them. You'd be completely safe. And Potter too, of course. And then there's the library," Draco mentioned trying to sweeten the deal.

"Library?" Hermione asked, pulling away to look at him. Draco was relieved to see her eyes brighten at the mention of a library.

"They're linked libraries. Any book that is in a Malfoy library can be accessed," Draco boasted with a grin.

Hermione's eyes completely lit up and she smiled for the first time since he'd arrived, "Yes. Let's do it. Can we go now?"

"Yes, I think we can make that happen. Do you want to fetch Potter? Or?"

"It might be best if you don't see each other. He's… he's really upset about Ron."

Draco wasn't stupid. Potter clearly blamed him for Weasley's death. And he wasn't wrong. Draco blamed himself too.

"Alright, I'll take you and show you everything. I'll add you to the wards and then you can bring Potter through," Draco nodded.

"Okay," Hermione smiled at him again and Draco felt lighter. He resolved to make her smile more. He missed her smile.

* * *

Draco made quick work of adding Hermione to the wards surrounding a thirteenth-century castle in the Scottish Highlands. He liked the property because it was small. And it was the Heir's house, Baerston Keep, which he'd received the deed to two summers ago on his fifteenth birthday. He'd spent most of that summer fixing the place up and he was fairly proud of how it turned out.

There were only five bedrooms, each with an en-suite, and it was only two floors. A small square castle guarded by a loch on one side and situated into the side of a mountain. Quite formidable, despite how small it was.

Draco smirked as Hermione called book after book from the main library at Malfoy Manor. It was quite simple. There was one directory book in each library, and they were all linked so that all books would update if one was updated. Tap your wand against any title in the directory, and it appeared in front of you in a flash. Draco reveled in Hermione's delight.

"How soon do you need to be back to get Potter?" Draco asked as he stepped behind her and pulled her close, her back against his chest. She leaned her head back against him and looked up.

"Not for a bit yet," she said and then bit her lip.

Draco groaned as he spun her around and captured her lips in a heated kiss. He could never resist when she bit her lip in front of him. He wanted to be the one biting her lip. So he did, then soothed it over with his tongue, parting her lips with it, diving into her sweet, warm, mouth. He swallowed her mewls and moans as he drove his right hand through her curls, pulling her head in the direction that gave him complete access to her mouth.

He dragged his lips away from hers and kissed down her jaw to nibble on her earlobe, "Gods, witch. I've missed you." Draco punctuated this by pulling her close and pressing his hardness into her abdomen.

"I've always wanted to have sex in a library," Hermione hissed into his ear.

"Your wish is my command," Draco smirked.

He backed her up to the table and lifted her on top of it. Then stepped between her legs as he bent to kiss her again, winding his hands in her curls. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him closer, locking her ankles behind him.

"Draco," she breathed as he kissed down her jaw toward her neck. He marked his favorite spot where her neck met her shoulder, it had been months since they were last intimate, and her mark had faded completely. He vowed to himself that he would never be absent from her as long again.

While he had been kissing her neck, she was making short work of the buttons on his shirt and began pushing it from his shoulders. He shrugged out of it, and her fingers traced patterns on his bare skin. It felt electrifying; he'd forgotten how good it felt to be touched by her. He returned the favor by pulling her shirt over her head and stepped back to look at her dressed in just a black lace bra and her denims. She kicked off her shoes and began unbuckling his belt. Soon she was pushing his trousers and his pants down his hips. He stepped out of his shoes and kicked his pants off.

Hermione's hands ran down his chest; Draco reveled in her touch. He closed his eyes as her left hand grasped his cock and gave it a few pumps.

"You are entirely overdressed," he whispered.

Then he pulled her to standing and unbuttoned her denims. She wriggled out of them, and Draco began working on her bra. Once she was completely nude, he picked her up and sat her back on the table. Draco planted wet, open-mouthed kisses down her neck and chest. He nuzzled into her mate mark and licked at the scar Dolohov had left. When he reached her left nipple, he sucked it into his mouth and swirled his tongue around it to make it harden into a peak. He tweaked her right nipple with his fingers. Hermione gasped and held his head in place with her hands, urging him on.

He slipped his right hand down her waist to the curls at the apex of her thighs. She was incredibly wet already. He had to taste her. It has been so long. He kissed his way down her abdomen until he could bury his face into her core.

"Draco," she breathed after the first lick of her slit.

He grinned, she tasted just as he remembered, sweet like nectar and honey. He placed his right hand on her abdomen and pushed her to lay back. She sat back on her elbows and watched him with glittering eyes as he licked her pearl. She keened and dropped her head back while driving her right hand into his hair and holding him in place.

"Please," Hermione groaned.

Draco was happy to provide. He set a rhythm, licking, nipping, and sucking. Driving her mad with need; driving himself mad, she tasted so good, and he was only getting harder. He slipped a hand down and palmed his cock as he thrust his tongue inside her quim. With his right hand, he circled her button and fucked her with his tongue, intent on bringing her to completion.

"Fuck, Draco!" Hermione cried out as she came.

Draco lapped up all of her juices, prolonging her pleasure. When she was still, he stood and slipped into her wet heat.

"Fuck, Hermione," he groaned with pleasure as her channel gripped him. She felt like heaven and silk and like she wouldn't give him up.

Hermione wrapped her legs around his hips once more and canted her own hips to meet his thrusts. He gripped her hips tightly with his hands as he pounded into her heat. Draco wanted to bury himself inside her and never come back up for air. His heart was beating erratically as he watched her writhe on the table before him.

"I want to watch you fall," he rasped and began circling her clit with his thumb.

"Draco," she cried out her second orgasm.

Draco picked her up, cradling her to him, and sat in one of the chairs at the table. Hermione collapsed onto his lap in her exhaustion, but Draco was still hard and buried inside her slick warmth. He flexed his hips, the two orgasms she'd already had made her tight channel even tighter and more sensitive.

"Gods," she groaned as she sat up fully and looked at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around him and the back of the chair.

"Relax, let me," Draco said as he began to thrust into her steadily, his hands on her hips, helping her rock.

He loved this position, looking into her deep, chocolate brown eyes as he made love to her.

"Gods, Granger. I plan to fuck you for the rest of my life," Draco grunted.

Hermione rolled her hips in response, tightening her inner muscles almost to the point that Draco couldn't even move inside her.

"Yes… like that," he groaned as his eyes slipped closed.

"Open your eyes, Draco," Hermione said as she rolled her hips once more.

"Fuck, Mate," Draco murmured.

"Mate, you're my Mate. I'm your Mate," Hermione husked as she bounced on his cock.

He was getting close; he could feel his orgasm begin in the base of his spine.

"Always," Draco grunted.

"Always," Hermione promised with another hip roll.

"Can you come again?" Draco asked as he felt sweat roll down his spine.

"Yes," Hermione hissed, and Draco bounced her faster.

"Then come," Draco commanded, and she did. Watching her shatter was the most beautiful thing Draco had ever seen. Her eyes widened momentarily before falling closed even as her mouth opened. She made the sweetest sounds.

He grunted his own release, spilling his seed deep inside her still pulsing channel.

"Always," Hermione muttered as she clung to him.

"Always," Draco promised, holding her tightly.

* * *

Draco left Hermione in the library at Baerston Keep and returned to the dueling court. He didn't know exactly what his plan was, but he was furious with Greyback. Not even reconnecting with his mate was enough to calm the fire in his veins.

"Alpha!" Draco shouted as he stormed into Greyback's tent. Greyback had been sitting at his table, drinking whisky alone.

"Beta," Greyback responded and lifted an eye. "Something troubling you?"

"You killed her best friend. In front of her! How fucking dare you? You think she's going to trust you? Trust me? Trust the pack? If she won't trust us, I can't keep her safe!" Draco railed.

"Calm down, pup," Greyback snorted and took another swallow of his whisky.

"You think this is funny?" Draco asked as he narrowed his eyes at the other man.

"What's one less Weasley in the world. Thought you'd be happy without the competition," Greyback slurred.

It took a moment, but then it clicked. Greyback was drunk.

"How long have you been drinking?" Draco asked. He glanced around the tent and noticed numerous empty bottles of firewhisky.

"Coupla days now," Greyback said and finished his glass. He immediately poured himself another.

"Leave my mate and her friends alone, Greyback," Draco growled, pointing his finger at him.

"You should thank me, Beta. Kept her out of the fighting, I did."

"By ripping the throat out of her best friend? That was the best you could come up with? You are pathetic," Draco told him. The scorn was heavy in his voice, and Draco didn't care. He was done with Greyback. Draco would call him out now, if he wasn't under the influence. He didn't want whispers to be spread around later about him taking out his own Alpha while the Alpha was drunk. Draco had a few morals left yet.

Fenrir leered at him drunkenly but didn't say anything. He took another swig from the glass in front of him. Draco sneered at his Alpha and he stormed out of Greyback's tent and went straight to find Rand. He didn't care who saw him, If Greyback was too drunk to care, Draco didn't need to care either.

"Rand, we have to do something. The sooner the better," Draco said by way of greeting.

"Beta, what are you talking about?" Rand said tightly.

Draco narrowed his eyes, "I thought we were on the same page here, Rand."

"Listen, pup, we gotta be —"

Draco cut him off, "Fenrir is drunker than a fucking skunk in his tent right now. Has been for days. I'm not concerned about his little birdies telling him anything."

"And if he comes after you?"

"Then I'll kill him and become Alpha. I won't challenge him while he's drunk, but if he challenges me, he's dead," Draco said coldly.

Rand's eyes widened, "What did he do?"

"He ripped the throat out of Ronald Weasley, best friend to Hermione Granger, my mate."

"For fuck's sake," Rand muttered.

"And what the fuck is going on with Bledig?" Draco asked. "They were Muggles. He shouldn't have been hurt that badly. What are your people doing?"

"Wasn't mine. Either Fenrir or someone else is making a play."

"Figure it out and put a stop to it," Draco told him. "This war with the Dark Lord is coming to a head faster than you think. I won't have dissension in the ranks after Fenrir's gone. Get them all on board."

Rand sighed heavily and leaned back in the chair, "I'll do what I can."

"You better," Draco threatened as he stormed out of the tent.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Four chapters to go! Can't believe the end is almost here!**

 **Brownlark42 is an amazingly awesome person who puts up with my fanfiction obsession because she loves me. I love her! And we both live for your reviews, so tell us what you think!**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

"I won't do it, Hermione!" Harry shouted at her for what felt like the millionth time that evening.

She'd arrived home much calmer than when she'd left. The last few weeks had been overwhelmed with grief, guilt, and anger. She had put all of her energy into trying to be strong for Harry and keeping them both safe while they fled. It was a relief to share her tragedy with her Mate, and Draco's reassuring presence had been a welcome reminder that she had more to do than hide and survive. She was excited to show Harry the house Draco had given them to stay in. It was much safer, and the library itself was going to be incredibly helpful.

"Harry —" Hermione began.

"He's the reason Ron is fucking dead. You know that, right? It's all his fault! We needed Ron! I needed Ron. I can't… I won't..." Harry trailed off, furiously wiping the tears from his eyes.

Hermione gulped. It wasn't all Draco's fault. She blamed herself more than anyone. She felt a lump begin in her throat and tears pricked at her eyes. She turned away from Harry and looked out the window of the drawing room. Grimmauld Place always felt bleak, and the sky outside was no better. London was as grey and cloudy this summer morning as her heart felt.

Her lip quivered, "It's not really, Harry. I — I'm the one who helped him…. And if Greyback hadn't seen us in that alcove…" Hermione trailed off as the tears began streaming down her face.

"It's my fault Ron's dead," Hermione said in a clearer voice after wiping away her tears.

"All of it is my fault. I helped Draco with the vanishing cabinet. He'd never have finished it without me. I watched the Death Eaters come into Hogwarts. Ron's blood is on my hands, Harry, quite literally," she sniffed and continued. "D-Don't you know how that feels? Or how it felt to watch my best friend bleed out in my arms… unable to do anything to help him… all the while, knowing, KNOWING, it was all my fault? If only I hadn't helped Draco; if only I had been able to protect Ron from Greyback; if only I hadn't been injured, then we wouldn't have been in that alcove at all! So many things could ha-have ch-ch-changed…" Hermione trailed off as she broke out into full-blown sobs.

She should be dead. She wished she was. Greyback should have killed her, not Ron. Not sweet, innocent Ron. He hadn't been doing anything more than healing his best friend, trying to protect her.

"Oh, gods, Hermione," Harry said, deflating. She soon found herself wrapped in a familiar pair of arms. "It's not, it's not your fault. Don't cry. You'll just make…" He murmured.

She cried into Harry's shoulder, as she had so often over the last few weeks since fleeing Hogwarts. Despite her preparations, being on the run was harder than she'd expected. It wasn't just hiding out. It was realizing her face was plastered over the Muggle media. It was trying to call her parents to tell them not to worry about her, that she was safe. Food was a constant challenge — Tonks or Remus dropped by when they could with groceries, and that wasn't often. Hermione had been too scared to find a place to destroy the diadem, and they still had no idea where to find Slytherin's necklace or Hufflepuff's cup.

The diadem was becoming a problem. It whispered nasty, unspeakable things to her. At night, when it was dark and she was alone, she found herself wanting to obey. She felt compelled to do the horrible things the diadem whispered to her. She shuddered and pulled back from Harry, shoving the diadem out of her mind once more.

"We have to go, Harry. Yes! We absolutely do!" she shouted over his protest. "Listen to me! How else am I supposed to get that, that, _thing_ out of your head? You have a Horcrux inside you and I've checked every blasted book in this house. Mrs. Weasley got rid of all the dark ones. You know that. I have to believe there is a way to move the Horcrux out of you without killing you. I… I can't lose my other best friend. Not if there's something I can do to stop it."

"He killed Ron," Harry emphasized. "I don't care what you say, it's Malfoy's fault. And I can't forgive him that."

Hermione heard it but felt as if he were talking about her and not Draco. She understood. She would never forgive herself either. Her chest felt heavy like there was a boulder sitting on top of her. She took a deep breath and tried to will away her tears.

"I get it. I do. But the library. Being safe. Not having to spend time looking for food? All of that will help us. Only Draco can get to the property. Even if… even if he dies, nobody else will be able to get to the property. We'll be safe while we figure out what we have to do next. You don't have to forgive Draco or even trust him. You just have to come with me," Hermione implored her friend.

She looked into his emerald green eyes, which were red-rimmed. He tried to hide his tears from her, but she always knew how he was feeling. She felt her own lip quiver, so she bit it. No more tears, not tonight. Tonight she had to get Harry to come with her. To be safe. To help her research and figure out how to get that Horcrux out of his head.

"You feel _him_ , don't you?" Hermione asked. "When _he's_ happy, you feel him gloating. When _he's_ mad, sometimes you black out, you know?"

Harry looked away, refusing to meet her gaze.

"If we get _him_ out of you, that's one less Horcrux. And you won't have _him_ living in you anymore. _Him_ seeing your thoughts. You seeing _his_. _Him_ giving you false—"

"Fine! I get it," Harry snapped. "I get it," his voice dropping.

"And?" Hermione asked.

"We'll go," Harry said resignation heavy in his voice.

Hermione wrapped her arms tight around Harry, "Thank you," she whispered to him as she held him close to her.

* * *

Hermione and Harry settled into Baerston Keep with relative ease. Draco had sent Tink, his own personal house elf, to tend them. Hermione had a lot of guilt letting Tink provide for them, but it freed up all of her time to research. It was going to take massive amounts of research to figure out how to get the Horcrux out of Harry's head, and then figure out where two of the three remaining Horcruxes were.

Draco had mostly stayed away, per Hermione's request. She wanted to get Harry used to the new place before introducing Draco to the situation. Harry blamed Draco for Ron's death, and she blamed herself too. Draco blamed himself. There was a lot of blame going around. Hermione wanted to focus on the Horcruxes and not on the emotions regarding Ron.

Hermione couldn't even think about Ron most days. Every time her mind went in that direction, she forcibly turned it around. She couldn't do the work she needed to do and grieve for Ron at the same time. She resolved to mourn when the war was over and the Dark Lord and Greyback were both dead. She couldn't wait until Draco killed Greyback. If it served any sort of purpose to eliminate him now, she'd order it done. But it didn't. It would just make the Dark Lord suspicious of Draco, and that was the last thing they needed. They wanted the Dark Lord to be lulled into a false sense of security with his werewolves.

Draco showed up almost three weeks after Hermione and Harry moved into the Keep. Hermione was in the library pouring over yet another book that referenced Horcruxes. She had yet to find anything that would remove the one residing in Harry.

"What are you doing?" Draco said.

Hermione yelped. He'd startled her and she looked up to find him leaning against the bookcase with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Gods, you scared me," she scolded and closed the book in front of her. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands for a moment. "I'm trying to figure out a way to get that Horcrux out of Harry and into something else."

"Horcrux?! Potter's got a bloody Horcrux in him? How does that even happen?" Draco asked with a shocked expression.

Hermione looked up sharply. Shit, she hadn't meant to tell him that. She'd been so stressed with everything that she forgot Draco didn't know.

"Whose Horcrux?" Draco asked quietly.

Hermione didn't answer. She didn't know what to tell him. She wasn't supposed to have told him anything in the first place. Harry was going to be furious.

"Whose Horcrux, Hermione?!" Draco shouted at her. His hands were balled into fists so tight his knuckles were white.

"Voldemort's," Harry responded. Hermione leaned around Draco to see Harry standing in the doorway of the library.

"What?" Draco hissed as he turned to face Harry.

"Voldemort's Horcrux is stuck in my head. And don't yell at Hermione," Harry frowned at Draco.

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean —"

"This is what you were keeping from me? The Dark Lord had Horcruxes? Is this the little job Dumbledore gave him?" Draco turned back to her and jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Harry.

Hermione nodded. She didn't know what else to say. She dropped her head into her hands. Harry was going to kill her and clearly, Draco was upset with her too. Now they were both going to hate her. It wasn't long before she felt the hot rush of tears flood her eyes and spill over onto her cheeks. She swallowed around the lump in her throat, trying to push down the overwhelming feelings that engulfed her.

Her relationships were falling apart. And she killed Ron. She tried to bury that thought, to make it go away, but it didn't. It never did. It was always right there at the back of her head, reminding her, taunting her. More tears began to fall and soon she was crying out loud, sobbing into her hands.

"Oh, gods," Draco muttered and she found herself buried in his embrace. She pressed her face into his chest as she tried to control herself. She didn't have time to lose control like this. She needed to find out how to move the Horcrux in Harry. She needed to destroy the rest of them. And Ron was dead. Her wonderful friend. Murdered and...

"Shhh, there, there," Draco whispered as he began to rock her. She felt another hand on her shoulder. It squeezed and she looked up to see Harry standing there.

"It's alright, Hermione. I know you didn't mean to. And, well, maybe he can help?" Harry said with a shrug.

Hermione burst into a fresh set of tears. Harry was trying to be nice to Draco for her. And she didn't deserve it. She turned from Draco and threw her arms around Harry.

"I'm sorry. I'm so bloody sorry," she said over and over into his shoulder.

She didn't see the bewildered look Harry shot Draco as his arms tentatively held her, patting her back.

"'S'alright," Harry mumbled.

"Come on, Hermione. Calm down," Draco said, running his hand down her back.

Hermione took a big breath and stepped back from Harry. She wiped at her eyes and face as Draco wrapped his arm around her waist. She was eternally grateful for the support and leaned into him.

"Maybe you can tell me what's going on then?" Draco asked gently.

Hermione darted her eyes to Harry, and when Harry nodded she smiled at him. Then she told Draco everything. About the Dark Lord's Horcruxes, how many he had, how many had been destroyed and how many they thought he had left.

"And you think one's in Potter's head?" Draco asked at the end of it all.

"I know there is," Hermione said. "Harry can hear the Dark Lord when the Dark Lord's emotions are running high. When he's really happy or really mad about something, Harry gets flashes of it. And the Dark Lord can implant false memories into Harry. It happened back in fifth year. The only thing I think that can cause that is a Horcrux."

"A living Horcrux?" Draco asked. Hermione could hear the skepticism in his voice.

"We think Nagini is one too," Harry replied.

"Really?" Draco shuddered.

"Yeah," Hermione said. "Back in fifth year, the Order was guarding something in the Ministry, and Mr. Weasley was attacked by a snake. Harry saw the attack from Nagini's point of view. That's really what pieced it all together for me. Harry could feel the Dark Lord's feelings, and he was seeing things from Nagini's point of view. So it only made sense that there are bits of the Dark Lord in each of them."

"That's a rather disgusting way to put it, Hermione," Harry said with a curl of his lip.

Hermione shrugged.

"And you haven't found any way to remove the Horcrux without killing him?" Draco asked.

"No," Hermione replied. She pointed at the books on the table. They were all Dark Magic books that mentioned Horcruxes in varying levels of detail.

"Maybe you need to think about it a different way," Draco suggested. He turned and grabbed the registry book from the podium at the center of the library. He flipped through it as he walked back toward them, tapping various texts as he went.

Books began appearing on the table in front of Hermione. But they weren't Dark Magic books; they were books on making and repairing magical artifacts.

"You are bloody brilliant!" Hermione exclaimed. She stood from the table and wrapped Draco in a hug, trapping the registry book between them. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"You can't always be the smartest person in the room," Draco winked at her as he leaned down to kiss her briefly on the lips.

Hermione halted the kiss before he could take it further. As much as she wanted to, she had work to do and Harry was in the room. Draco had just given her the perfect avenue to follow. If she thought about the Horcrux in Harry as a magical artifact, she might be able to lift the magic from his head as one piece and place it in another object. These were exactly the steps needed to repair or replace a magical artifact.

Draco pouted at her as she turned away, but she ignored him and the grossed out face Harry made to focus on the new books.

"How are you going to destroy the Horcruxes once you have them?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"You never did tell me your plan on that," Harry chimed in.

Hermione glanced up. She hadn't told either of them about her experiments with Fiendfyre. Maybe she should show them? Destroy the diadem, get it to stop whispering to her and show them how Fiendfyre worked. She pursed her lips as she thought. She had been wanting to destroy the diadem, but it somehow slipped her mind every time she went to do it. Her eyes fell closed. _Of course._ There was a further enchantment on it. The diadem didn't want to be destroyed, so it would distract her every time she went to do it.

"Is there someplace nearby we could go? Somewhere out of doors, deserted, unlikely to catch fire?"

Draco's eyebrows raised at that last bit. "There's an island in the loch. You can't see it from the Keep because it's on the far side."

"That would be perfect. Let's go," Hermione said as she stood from the table.

"What? Now?" Harry asked.

"Yep," Hermione looped her arm through Draco's and they both left the library with Harry trailing behind them.

Before they reached the front door, Draco dropped Hermione's arm and turned to Harry. Hermione was confused for a second, but then he extended his right hand to Harry.

"I'm sorry about Weasley, I-I didn't expect Greyback to kill anyone. I promise, I will avenge him," Draco said.

Hermione was pleased with Harry's startled look.

"A-Alright," Harry replied and shook Draco's hand. Hermione beamed at them both.

"Lead the way, Draco," she commanded, grinning like a fool.

Draco led them out of the Keep and down to the loch. There he transfigured a boat from a large rock and guided them all inside. A quick propelling charm and they were off, racing across the loch toward the island.

The island was hidden behind a bend in the loch and a bit of the mountain. It was small and relatively barren, with a few spindly pines that graced the northern edge. The island was long and skinny and didn't look like it was much more than a hundred yards across. It was perfect for what Hermione had in mind. She'd been deliberately not thinking of the diadem. She speculated that if she didn't think about the diadem and what she wanted to do with it, the charm on it wouldn't activate and distract her. It seemed to be working.

They landed on the island and clambered out of the boat.

"Keep the boat," Hermione said when Draco went to cancel the spell. "If something goes wrong, we'll want to be able to retreat."

Draco's eyebrows raised, but he lowered his wand. Hermione walked several paces forward until she was near the middle of the island. Harry and Draco trailed her until she turned to face them.

"I need to concentrate. Don't interrupt even if it looks like I'm losing control. I promise I will tell you if we have to bail. I have done this before," she assured them with a small smile.

Harry and Draco looked bewildered, but both nodded. Hermione turned back around and dug into her beaded bag. Still not thinking about the diadem, she reached her hand into the bag. She was elbow deep before her fingers brushed the cold metal and Dark Magic. She pulled it out, and not looking at it directly, tossed it to the ground about a dozen feet in front of her.

"Hermione is that —" Harry started. She heard Draco shush him and smirked.

" _Ignes pe Fende_ ," she said quietly while making a large circle with her wand arm. As she flicked her wrist toward the center of the circle, a huge Phoenix erupted from her wand. It raced to the diadem, quickly engulfing it in flames.

"Holy…" Draco trailed off behind her.

Hermione concentrated on controlling the flames. The Phoenix had quickly turned into other beasts that swirled and raged around the diadem. A thick, oily, smoke was pouring out of the did her best to ignore everything around her and concentrate on controlling the Fiendfyre.

"Worthless… stupid… Mudblood…" the oily smoke hissed and whispered at her. Hermione tightened the grip on her wand.

"He doesn't love you… nobody loves you… murderer…" the smoke was getting thicker and darker, swallowing Hermione.

She closed her eyes as she poured more power into the spell and suddenly heard a high-pitched scream that quickly rose into an inhuman wail. The wail continued and grew almost plaintive before it faded and died. She opened her eyes and the oily smoke was dissipating and rapidly vanished. The fire was still raging around the diadem, but the relic was contorting and melting in the heat.

The Horcrux was gone.

Hermione took a deep breath and shouted, " _Mergit Ignis_!"

The fire did nothing for a moment. Hermione shouted the incantation again and as if a wind had gusted, the flaming creatures came rushing toward her to be subsumed by her wand. The last was a wolf, as it had been every time she successfully ended the spell.

She turned back to Harry and Draco, to find them staring at her with equally shocked expressions.

"That was…" Harry started.

"...bloody amazing," Draco finished.

Draco swept forward and hugged her, picking her up and twirling her around.

"You bloody, gorgeous, amazing, awe-inspiring, brilliant witch!" he shouted and then set her back on the earth, covering her lips with his own. Hermione grinned at him and soon lost herself in his kiss.

"Yoo-hoo!" Harry shouted, breaking them apart. "Oh, thank gods," he muttered when they both looked at him. "No offense, but I don't really want to ever see that again."

Hermione laughed as Harry shuddered and went to pick up the diadem. It was now a melted lump of metal and carried no resemblance to Ravenclaw's once-loved tiara.

* * *

Two weeks later, Hermione was having a whispered Floo conversation with Remus. She had Flooed him because she had found the locket and needed help getting to it. A picture in the _Daily Prophet_ had tipped her off. Dolores Umbridge, of all people, was wearing it proudly around the Ministry.

"... I don't know," Remus said.

"I don't care," Hermione snapped. "Figure out a way. If you can't do it, have Tonks steal it or something. But figure it out. We need it."

"Why? What is it?" Remus asked.

Hermione growled under her breath, wishing they were face to face and her head wasn't stuck in a fireplace.

"It's important. We can't defeat _him_ without it," Hermione said. "I can't tell you more than that. Just get it!"

"Fine, I'll figure it out," Remus grumbled.

"You're a smart wizard, of course, you will," Hermione assured him. She heard a scuff behind her and cursed softly. Hopefully, it was Draco or Tink and not Harry. "I've got to go," she told Remus and broke the connection.

She stood and wiped the Floo powder from her shoulders as she turned around to see Draco standing in the doorway.

"Oh, thank gods, it's you," she muttered.

"Gee, what a welcome," Draco replied back.

Hermione snorted, "Sorry. I was worried it was Harry for a moment."

"It's fine," Draco said as he strode into the room. "What's going on?"

Hermione smiled at him but didn't say anything for a moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close for a hug and a peck on the lips. They hadn't found much time to be intimate since the beginning of the summer.

"Mmm…" Draco responded and deepened the kiss. Hermione wanted to, she really did. But she had called Draco here for a reason.

"I think there's a Horcrux in the Lestrange Gringotts vault," Hermione said.

"What? Really? How do you know? Which one?" Draco asked as he pulled back from her.

Hermione stepped away and began rifling through her notes. She'd been taking extensive notes on everything she'd heard and thought over the last few months. "Here it is," she muttered and pulled up her diary.

"It was something Bellatrix said at Easter. She mentioned the Dark Lord wanted her to put something in her vault," Hermione replied. "It's Hufflepuff's cup for sure. I have a lead on Slytherin's locket."

Draco nodded. "How do we get it?"

"You will have to get it," Hermione said.

Draco shook his head, "How?"

"You'll have to think of a way. What do pure-bloods keep in their vaults? Anything that's not money? Jewelry? Rare books? I'd appeal to Rodolphus and leave Bellatrix out of it."

Draco nodded, "I'll see what I can come up with. Maybe Mother can give me an idea."

Hermione smiled softly, "That's a good idea. See what she knows."

Draco wrapped his arms around her and they stood there for a few moments, taking comfort in just being with each other.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Eeee! I'm so excited! There are only three chapters left after this one! Technically two chapters and an epilogue. I can't wait to see what you all think of this one.**

 **I know I've been gushing about her for months, but really, I cannot say enough nice things about brownlark42. This fic would be nothing without her and I am eternally grateful for all the time and hard work she has put into it.**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

"Uncle Rodolphus?" Draco asked as he walked into the small family dining room that Rodolphus seemed to prefer. It was September, which meant Hermione's birthday was coming up. It was the perfect time to ask Rodolphus for a favor.

Rodolphus paused and set down his fork full of sausages. He raised his eyebrow at Draco.

"I was wondering if you could help me with something," Draco began. He was exceedingly nervous about this, but he felt sure that Rodolphus would help. He'd helped in the past by protecting Draco's mother and keeping Aunt Bella away from him. He'd even helped when Greyback went a little crazy and tortured his Aunt Bella. He'd kept the truth of the matter from both her and the Dark Lord.

"What is it?" Rodolphus said sharply.

"It's Hermione's birthday. She'll be seventeen. I want to get her some jewelry, something traditionally given to purebloods on their seventeenth birthday. But there aren't any jewelers in Diagon Alley anymore…" Draco trailed off, trying to gauge his uncle's reaction.

"Go on," Rodolphus said impatiently and picked up his fork again, shoving the food into his mouth.

Draco took a deep breath, "So that means I have to find some family jewelry. The Malfoys and the Blacks have mostly cursed their jewelry in case it falls into Muggle hands. I don't think I'll be able to find a piece Hermione can wear."

"I see," Rodolphus nodded slowly.

"I know the Lestranges historically have been less strict about blood purity, not that you aren't strict now," Draco said quickly. "I'm just wondering if you might have pieces that aren't cursed against Muggles."

Rodolphus cocked his head at him and Draco kept his face sincere and slightly worried. He hoped his uncle bought the act.

"The Lestrange vault is one of the largest and oldest in all of Gringotts. I'm sure there are plenty of pretty trinkets you could find for your girlfriend. I'll get you the key," Rodolphus flicked his hand, dismissing Draco.

"Thank you!" Draco said brightly and quickly left the room. He headed back to the dueling court. That had gone much better than he'd expected. He thought for sure Rodolphus would either want to accompany him or grill him about it.

* * *

"Merlin's saggy balls!" Draco shouted as he helped Caleb out of the house.

It was another Muggle raid on another gone wrong. Caleb had been hit with an entrail-expelling curse. Draco knew that this was sabotage. Someone was deliberately fucking with their raids. And Draco was going to find out who.

"Back to the Manor!" he shouted to his pack as he Apparated himself and Caleb directly into the dueling court. He called for Tink as soon as he arrived.

"I need blood-replenishing potions and upgraded healing potions, now!" Draco shouted as soon as Tink had popped into existence.

Tink left immediately and Draco began repairing Caleb's abdomen. The blood smelled foul and Draco was afraid this was beyond his current skills, despite his intensive training since healing Bledig. Luckily, none of the intestines seemed to be pierced. He gathered them back into Caleb's abdomen, muttering healing spells as he went. Tink popped back into the room just as the rest of the pack began running in from the Apparition point on the grounds.

"Get over here, Seff!" Draco called his hands wrist deep in Caleb's abdomen.

"WHAT IN THE BLEEDING FUCK HAPPENED TO HIM?" Greyback roared as he stormed through the pack and toward Draco, Seff, and Caleb.

"Not now, Alpha," Draco growled as he began slowly closing the skin on Caleb. He muttered capillary and vein mending spells while Seff concentrated on healing the skin itself.

"Did you get it all back in there right?" Seff asked.

"No idea," Draco admitted. "We need to get him stable. If he doesn't improve, if the wolf's healing abilities don't take over, we get him to St. Mungo's."

Seff nodded and they soon finished healing Caleb to the best of their ability. Draco cleaned the blood from his hands and wand and grabbed the potions vials Tink had left. He began pouring them down Caleb's throat one-by-one.

"Who cast the entrail expelling curse?" Fenrir asked.

Nobody said anything.

"Nobody's going to admit to it, Alpha," Draco said tiredly. He, Rand, and Seff had been trying for months to figure out who was betraying the pack. They were lucky that so far they'd been able to keep the worst of it from the Dark Lord's ears. But Draco thought this one might leak. And what would if someone was eventually killed? He wasn't sure he and Greyback; could come up with any explanation that would satisfy the Dark Lord.

Neither of them wanted to admit that their control of the pack was tenuous at best. Greyback was slipping down a dangerous slope, and while Draco was fighting hard to keep the pack under his leadership, he knew he didn't have them all. A lot of wolves were still very loyal to Greyback.

"I'll Priori Incantatem each of their wands," Greyback threatened.

Draco sighed and left Caleb on the table in the center of the dueling court. He grabbed Greyback's arm and pulled him to the side. Draco felt sixteen pairs of eyes on him as he conferred quietly with Greyback.

"If we start checking wands, we'll lose them," Draco said quietly.

"I don't care. If we don't find out who it is, he'll end up killing someone," Greyback replied, his eyes flashing.

Draco could smell Greyback's breath. Even now he was drunk. Draco rubbed his face.

"I get that. And I'm working on it. Give me a little more time. Please?" Draco asked.

"You have a week," Greyback said. Greyback threw one last glare at the pack huddled around Caleb and stormed off to his tent. Draco sighed and scrubbed his face again, pushing his hair off his forehead. He had to find out who was sabotaging them. He was going to kill whoever it was. This was worse than disloyalty. This was outright rebellion. Draco couldn't afford to let the pack fall into chaos.

He stalked back toward Caleb and found Seff casting a diagnostic charm.

"How is he?" Draco asked. The pack began to drift away and Draco frowned as he watched them go.

"Stable enough for the moment," Seff replied. "I think…" Seff trailed off.

Draco looked at him sharply. He cast a warding charm on Caleb, to alert him when the hurt wolf awoke, and pushed Seff back toward his tent. Once inside, he cast a silencing charm.

"What do you know?" Draco asked.

"I think it was Rand."

"What?! You think or you know?" Draco asked and narrowed his eyes.

"I saw him cast a sickly orange curse. I didn't hear the words, but that's what the entrail-expelling curse looks like. We weren't using any other spells that look that way, I-I don't want it to be him… but I think it is," Seff admitted quietly.

"Fuck, Merlin's fucking... Fuck!" Draco kicked his table and it clattered across the floor. Fucking Rand. He was playing Draco. Draco didn't like to be played. He would have to be dealt with. Immediately.

"Call for a full council tonight, ten P.M.," Draco commanded.

"Yes, Beta," Seff nodded and left his tent.

Draco wished Hermione was here. He wished she could tell him what to do. Or whether what he was about to do was insane. If he called Rand out, he'd be expected to deal with him. Could he kill the other wolf? A member of his pack? That's what Fenrir would expect for a betrayal of this magnitude. And why? Why would Rand betray the pack this way? Draco couldn't make any sense of it.

"Fuck," he muttered as he left his tent in search of Arnou. He hadn't spent much time with the older wolf, but he needed his advice badly.

"Pup!" Arnou called out when Draco entered his tent. Draco cast silencing charms and sat heavily in a chair across from Arnou.

"Wha's got you in a bother?" Arnou asked.

"I've found who's sabotaging our raids," Draco told him. "I need some advice and… I don't really trust Fenrir at the moment. He's been drinking more and more, and it's to the point where I can't seem to catch him sober. Not to mention… "

Arnou nodded sagely, "Our Alpha seems to have found other priorities. Priorities that don't involve the well-bein' o' tha pack."

Draco huffed a sigh and quirked a half-smile at the older wolf, "His blood lust seems to be clouding his judgment."

"Aye, 'at's one way o' puttin' it."

Arnou held out his hand, and a bottle of firewhisky and two tumblers flew into it. "Let's have a drink while you tell me what's botherin' ya."

Draco nodded. It was a slight gamble, but he felt he could trust Arnou to be neutral and give honest advice. He might be Greyback's Sire, but he wasn't blind to his faults. And he was pretty much removed from all pack politics.

Arnou poured for them both and Draco took a pensive sip before he spoke.

"Someone has been undermining our missions all summer, you know?" Arnou nodded his agreement. "I've been trying to figure out who. We've pretty much only been attacking Muggles, so none of the missions should have caused the injuries we've seen. I thought at first that it was someone under Fenrir's direction. I thought that Fenrir was trying to consolidate his power in the pack, that he felt he was losing control. But now, I've been told that the entrail-expelling curse was fired from someone else's wand. And I don't know if Fenrir is behind it, or if this other person is acting of their own accord. But if they are, I don't know why?"

"Hmmm, I think you oughta call a full council," Arnou replied.

"I have. It's set for tonight at ten."

"Good. It'll all come out then," Arnou nodded and sipped his firewhisky.

"But what if the council votes that this person should die? You know Fenrir will vote that way," Draco asked. He drained his firewhisky and poured himself another.

"Then Fenrir will deliver Alpha's Justice," Arnou responded. "If the full council decrees that this person should be killed for their actions, then Alpha's Justice is invoked. It's Alpha's Justice for a reason. Alpha's supposed ta be the one ta do it."

"And you don't think he'll make me do it?" Draco asked.

"This is Fenrir Greyback we're talkin' abou'. Your training has nothin' to do with this. We jus' said tha' his bloodlust was gettin' outta control. If Alpha's Justice is invoked, he'll do the death blow," Arnou nodded firmly.

Draco took a deep breath. Arnou was right. Greyback wouldn't make him kill Rand. He'd do it himself. He felt a little better with that burden removed, but he was still livid that Rand would betray the pack this way.

"Get some rest, Beta. We gotta long nigh' ahead o' us," Arnou said. He clapped Draco on the shoulder and ushered him out of his tent.

* * *

"Order!" Draco shouted at the seventeen other wolves. They'd gathered in the center of the dueling court, with chairs all in a circle as he and Greyback stood at one end. Every wolf in the pack was present. Caleb was lying on a cot nearby, drifting in and out of consciousness, but Draco hadn't wanted anyone to cry foul by leaving him out. The wolves gradually settled until they were quiet and staring at their Alpha and Beta.

"You called this meeting, Beta," Greyback murmured, his whisky breath washing over Draco's face. He grimaced, wondering how it could have gotten this bad without him noticing early on. He shook himself and turned to the group.

"Thank you for coming. I called you here with some news. It appears that we have a traitor in our midst," Draco stated calmly. He wondered even as he made that statement if it would startle anyone into giving themselves away. He had to hand it to Rand, who sat staring at Draco, cool as a cucumber.

"What?" Greyback looked at him, a slightly confused expression on his face.

"Someone has been purposely wounding pack members during the raids the Dark Lord has sent us on."

"He's a dead man," Fenrir threatened. "Who is it?"

"Rand!" Draco pointed at the wolf and on queue, Udolf and Bledig grabbed his arms and brought him to the center of the circle, on his knees. Draco cast an _Incarcerous_ curse at him, preventing any attempt at escape.

"You don't know anything, Pup!" Rand sneered at Draco.

"I know you shot the entrail-expelling curse at Caleb today. You were seen. I also know that at the time, you were ahead of Caleb in formation. Which meant you had to turn your back on the Muggles we were attacking to attack one of our own."

"You can't prove it," Rand spat.

"I don't have to. Omega!"

Seff stood, "I saw you, Rand. I saw you turn around and cast a sickly-orange curse at Caleb. The same color as the entrail-expelling curse."

"Nobody believe the Omega! He's lying!" Rand shouted.

"Shut up, traitor," Greyback growled

"Does anyone else have any information they'd like to provide? Or anything to say in defense of this wolf?" Draco asked.

"I saw something when Bledig was injured," Udolf said as he stood.

Draco waved his hand, indicating the Udolf should go on.

"At the time I was sure I saw Rand curse Bledig, but in the heat of the battle, I thought my eyes were playing a trick on me," Udolf shrugged.

"He's lying too!" Rand shouted.

"I said shut up, traitor!" Greyback screamed and aimed a kick at Rand.

Draco pulled Greyback away from Rand. They had to do this the right way.

"Anyone else?" Draco asked.

"Three raids ago," Dib stood, "I watched as Rand's spells were all weak unless he was in cross-fire with another wolf."

"What do you mean?" Draco asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Well, when he was casting at the Muggles, his spells would fizzle. Often before hitting a Muggle. But then if he was casting opposite one of the pack, his spells would miss their targets. He seemed to be aiming for pack members," Dib explained.

"And you didn't say anything, why?" Greyback barked as he stalked toward Dib.

Draco grabbed him by the elbow and pulled him back.

"I didn't recognize what I was seeing at first," Dib admitted. "But when I did realize, I wasn't sure…" Dib trailed off.

Greyback growled, "Enough. Council vote now. What should be done with the traitor?"

Shouts of Alpha's Justice went up around the circle, it was almost deafening.

"Alright! Alright!" Draco shouted above the din. "One at a time."

Draco began calling off names. Each person voted for Alpha's Justice. When it came time, he too voted for Alpha's Justice.

"That's sixteen votes for Alpha's Justice. Caleb abstains, Rand doesn't get a vote. I, too, vote for Alpha's Justice," Greyback stated.

The collected wolves started cheering and jeering, increasing the wild energy in the court. Rand's face was contorted with fury.

"Quiet!" Draco shouted once more. "Before any sentence is carried out, I want to know why. Why, Rand? Why have you done it?"

"Because you are both fools!" Rand spat, "Neither of you deserves to be Death Eaters. That honor should go to me! I want to do the Dark Lord's bidding! To follow his power, which is greater than either of yours, greater than this entire pack. I thought that by joining the Death Eater pack, I'd be in service to the Dark Lord and be able to follow his vision for a new world. But Fenrir's too focused on the pack, and you won't admit it, Pup, but you don't even like being a Death Eater. You're mated to a fucking Mudblood!"

Draco snarled at the wolf kneeling on the floor. "And what did you hope to accomplish by injuring members of your own pack?"

"I wanted the Dark Lord to see your incompetence for what it was! If he took both you and Fenrir out, then I'd be Alpha. I would be in his direct line of service; I would win his favor and become a true Death Eater. Unlike either of you," Rand grinned maniacally.

Draco turned away in disgust. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had trusted Rand. And the collective. How could the collective have suppressed this information from him or Fenrir? Was it because the pack was already divided? A divided pack was a weak pack, no longer attuned to a singular diverging personality. If everyone felt traitorous, Rand's solo inner betrayal would go unnoticed.

"Done asking questions, Beta?" Greyback asked, bringing Draco back to the present.

Draco nodded and turned back to face Rand. "Rand, by unanimous pack vote, you are hereby sentenced to Alpha's Justice. May your soul rest in peace."

Greyback stepped forward, "I'm going to enjoy ripping out your throat, traitor."

Rand's eyes narrowed and he spat in Greyback's face. Greyback roared and grabbed Rand's throat with his right hand. He squeezed and began sinking his fingers into the traitor's flesh. At the same time, he slowly transformed his hand so it was half-werewolf, half-human and ripped his arm backward, taking Rand's trachea with him. Rand's jugular and carotid arteries severed and began spurting blood. It spilled down his chest and he slumped to the floor.

Soon, Rand's eyes were staring unseeing. The blood stopped pumping and began to seep.

* * *

It had been a week since Rand was killed. Draco was sure he'd have nightmares after seeing what Greyback did to the wolf. Is that how he killed Weasley? Is that what Hermione had to endure? He didn't know, but Rand's betrayal was traumatic enough that he felt surprisingly at peace with the way he died.

That thought disturbed Draco more than anything. Was he becoming so desensitized that he couldn't feel upset about the way Rand died? Or was it the fact that Rand had betrayed the pack? And in Draco's heart, the pack came first over any individual member. He didn't know. Not for the first time, he wished he could see Hermione. He could, of course, leave the Manor and go see her at Baerston Keep, but the pack was feeling vulnerable and scared. He wanted to make his presence known, to speak with members and heal the divisions that Rand and Greyback both created. He couldn't afford to leave the pack weak and divided.

And he had another increasingly pressing task to do. He needed to get that Horcrux out of his aunt and uncle's Gringotts vault before it got moved again. Rodolphus had tracked him down yesterday and given him a key and a note sealed with Rodolphus' magic to take to Gringotts. Draco decided today was the day. It was about a week before Hermione's birthday, and it was the perfect excuse to not only leave the pack but also raid the Lestrange vault.

He was a little shocked the goblins didn't give him a harder time about getting access to the Lestrange vault. He was even more shocked that the cart didn't go through Thief's Downfall, even though he was fully planning to take something from the Lestrange vault. Maybe it was because he had permission? Draco didn't know.

Gorluk, the goblin escorting Draco, gave him a shifty look as he picked up clackers and began beating them to scare the old, white, blind dragon that guarded these vaults. The Malfoy vault was also in this area, so seeing the dragon was old news to Draco. It still made his heart twinge to see it cower. Dragons weren't supposed to cower at anything. He straightened his back as Gorluk stroked his hand on the vault door and opened it for Draco.

"How long?" Gorluk asked.

"I'm not sure," Draco replied. "I'm looking for a piece of jewelry that doesn't have any nasty Muggle baiting curses on it. It might take a while," he shrugged.

"Alright, pull the cord when you're ready to go back up," Gorluk said and he Apparated away.

Draco was shocked. He never thought in a million years that a goblin would just let him walk around someone else's vault. It didn't seem to be within the goblins' character. Draco shook his head. He had to find the cup and a piece of jewelry. Rodolphus would want to know what he took, he was sure. Jewelry first, then the cup in case he had to make a quick escape with it.

Draco sorted through box after box of jewelry until he finally came upon a simple gold chain. It was thin, but rather long and had a small wand charm on it. He checked it three times for curses and it came back clean. He'd follow up with a Probity Probe when he got home, but he thought it would be good enough to give to Hermione for her birthday. It was very pretty, and the delicate chain would look gorgeous around her neck. He suspected it was long enough that the wand would land between her breasts. He hoped so. He'd like to take her while she was wearing it, watching her breasts bounce up and down as the charm glittered between them.

He shook his head once again. He needed to concentrate. He'd spotted the cup as soon as he walked into the vault, but had ignored it. Now it was time to take it down. It rested on a high shelf and a mountainous pile of galleons stood underneath it. It looked rather suspicious. The rest of the vault was relatively neat, but this corner seemed disorganized as if it was hiding something. Better to levitate the cup down than risk trying to climb and get it.

A flick of his wand and the cup rested in a small velvet sack that he'd charmed with various shielding and muting spells. Growing up around dark magic, he wasn't dumb enough to touch it directly. He tucked it into an interior pocket of his robe and exited the vault. He pulled the chain to summon Gorluk and Draco made it out of Gringotts and back to the dueling court with no problems. He couldn't believe how easy it all was. Easier than it should have been, he suspected. He hoped that meant there wouldn't be trouble later. His hope was in vain.

* * *

Almost a week after the trip to Gringotts, Draco finally had a chance to leave the pack for longer than a few hours. The full moon had been two days ago and the pack was resting, on Fenrir's orders. Draco made excuses, claiming he had business to do on behalf of his mother and Malfoy interests.

Draco stumbled a bit when he arrived at Baerston Keep. The Apparition had felt strange as if it had lagged. It hadn't ever felt like that before and Draco didn't know if it was due to some extra wards Hermione had placed around the Keep or extra wards the Dark Lord had placed around the Manor. Regardless, he would have to investigate later. He stood in the courtyard of the Keep, looking around to be sure he was alone. The wind whistled through the battlements. It was only September, just after Hermione's birthday actually, but it was cold this far north in the Scottish highlands. When no one emerged, Draco swiftly made his way inside the Keep.

He'd just closed the large, stubborn doors when he was hit with a spell. His vision faded and everything went black.

* * *

"Get up!" someone was whispering urgently. Behind that, Draco could hear a bone-chilling scream. It was high and loud and set Draco's nerves on edge. He groaned. His head was pounding and the person shaking his shoulder wasn't helping.

"Come on, Malfoy. Get up! I need your help," the person whispered and Draco slowly opened his eyes. The screaming stopped for a blissful moment. And then immediately began again.

"The fuck…" he trailed off as his vision blurred. He thought he saw Potter in front of him, but he closed his eyes again. He couldn't get that wretched screaming out of his head. "Stop…" he groaned, trying to cover his ears.

"For fuck's sake, Malfoy! That's Hermione screaming! We have to help her!" Potter whisper-shouted at him through gritted teeth.

Draco felt as if he'd been doused in freezing cold water. Those were Hermione's screams. His eyes popped open and he made to get off the floor, but only managed to sit up before he wobbled again. Potter grabbed his shoulder to steady him.

"What happened?" Draco asked as he shook his head, trying to clear it. The screaming was louder, if at all possible, and shriller.

"Bellatrix Lestrange followed you here. I don't know how she did it. She's torturing Hermione. I need you to get up now and help me," Potter said and yanked at his arm.

Draco complied and was soon standing, although his knees felt watery and he was leaning heavily on Potter for support. He looked down at the other man blearily. When did Potter get so short?

"Why do I feel like I got hit in the head with something?" Draco mumbled as a wave of nausea ran through him. He tried to tamp it down.

"I suspect you got hit with a Stunner, and then immediately hit your head on the flagstone floor," Potter explained.

Draco nodded. The longer he stood, the better he was feeling. His head still pounded and ached, but the nausea seemed to be clearing and his vision had stopped doubling. Hermione's screaming stopped.

"Fuck," Potter muttered.

"Let's go," Draco said and he strode away from Potter in the direction the screaming had come from.

He stopped in front of the library's closed had begun screaming again. At least she was still alive and conscious.

"I-I don't have it…" she was saying.

"Where is it? How did you get in there you filthy Mudblood!?" Aunt Bella shouted.

Draco's eyes slid closed. She'd discovered that Hufflepuff's cup was missing from her vault. And now she was torturing Hermione. His Hermione. His Mate. Hermione didn't even know that Draco had the cup. It was sitting in an inner pocket of the cloak he was currently wearing.

"I'll handle Aunt Bella. You take care of Hermione," Draco told Potter, who stood at his elbow. Potter nodded and cast a Disillusionment charm on himself.

He snapped his eyes opened and blasted open the double doors.

"Aunt Bella! I've come for you!" Draco shouted in a sing-song voice, punctuated by his fierce anger.

Bellatrix whirled around. Her face was crazed. Her hair was standing on end and her eyes were wide and wild. She cast another Cruciatus curse at Hermione before sweeping toward him. Draco snapped his wand up and wordlessly put a shield in place.

"Ooo, Draky-poo. How delightful for you to join us," Bellatrix cackled. She twirled her wand in her fingers as she approached Draco. He moved to his left, circling her, forcing her to turn from the doorway where Potter was Disillusioned.

"I've been having the most wonderful chat with your little Mudblood girlfriend," Bellatrix taunted.

"Don't you fucking say that word!" Draco shouted. His rage was red-hot in his chest as he cast a stinging hex at her. She blocked it and sent a dark-violet, evil looking curse back. Draco stood for a moment, then ducked to let it sail over his head.

"Oooo, does ickle Draco not like the Mudblood word? Hmmm…. Too bad… I left you such a nice present on the Mudblood's arm," Bellatrix said.

Draco narrowed his eyes. He desperately wanted to go to Hermione, but he could see that Potter was tending her. The Disillusionment charm was up, but he could see the shimmer as Potter moved around his Mate. He had to concentrate on Bellatrix. He already knew she was not leaving here. Not today. He couldn't afford to have her telling tales to the Dark Lord. Nor could he afford to have her as a prisoner. No, she was dying today. Draco was determined.

"How'd you get here, Bella?" Draco asked as he shot another hex at her. He kept the duel almost relaxed. He wanted to know how he had failed Hermione. Again.

Bellatrix laughed, "It was too easy. A simple tracking charm paired with a side-along apparition and disillusionment charms. As soon as you left the Manor, I followed along."

She blocked his hex and sent a cutting curse at Draco. Draco wasn't quite quick enough to block it and it hit his shoulder. Blood welled up and begin dripping down his arm.

"Must have been a hell of a tracking charm," Draco grunted. His shoulder hurt, but luckily it was his left and he still had full range of motion with his wand arm.

"The Dark Lord created it," Bellatrix supplied.

"Good to know," Draco said, almost conversationally. "Now it's time to end this." He sent a flurry of hexes and jinxes her way, trying to take down her shield and keep her busy.

"You betcha," Bellatrix replied as she blocked and parried.

Draco had to admit, Aunt Bella was a skilled duelist. But she'd also been torturing someone recently, which Draco knew took a lot of focus and magic. He could see her tiring and watched a bead of sweat slip down her cheek as he bombarded her as fast and quickly as he could.

Finally, her shield exploded in shards of blue light. Draco shouted, " _Sectumsempra_! _Sectumsempra_! _SECTUMSEMPRA_!" He slashed his wand back and forth. Bellatrix collapsed in a heap, blood spurting and oozing out of numerous crisscrossed gashes. She had a confused, frightened look on her face. One of the gashes had sliced horizontally across her mouth, leaving it open in a horrible, garish smile. Her body twitched a few times and eventually lay still.

"Goodbye, Aunt Bella," Draco said. Then he strode out of the room to track down where Potter had taken his Mate.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Hi loves! You are getting this early as I have plans tomorrow night. We're so close to the end now... I can't wait!**

 **I didn't celebrate when this fic turned a year (I should have, bad author *slaps hand*), but brownlark42 has been with me through it all. So thank you, thank you, thank you to her for all her dedication and hard work into making this story a reality.**

 **A second huge, ginormous thank you to all the readers who have stuck with me from the beginning! I can't believe this story has gotten so much support from the fandom and I want to say how thankful and honored I am that you all spend part of your life reading this. So thank you, thank you, thank you!**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

Hermione stretched, feeling her body ache as it had every morning since the Cruciatus Curse she endured under Bellatrix Lestrange. It was December, months later, and she was still feeling the pain. She would be lucky if the aches and shakes went away within the year. Some things were permanent, even in the wizarding world.

Upon finding Hermione unresponsive, Draco had immediately brought his mother to Baerston Keep to help heal her. Hermione was inordinately thankful. They couldn't go to St Mungo's, and neither Harry nor Draco knew enough about the Cruciatus to know what to do. Hermione made sure Harry stayed hidden while Mrs Malfoy was there. Hermione was relatively confident that she wouldn't report her whereabouts to the Dark Lord, but she didn't have the same feeling of safety for Harry.

Hermione didn't know why she was being pursued, but the wanted poster wasn't going away. The poster didn't specify whether she'd be taken dead or alive. She shook her head, knowing it was pointless to try to figure out the Dark Lord's motives. He was insane. She was just glad they had successfully hidden Harry from Mrs Malfoy.

She rolled out of bed and stretched again, trying to work all the kinks out of her back muscles as she walked to the bathroom. Hermione needed to be top of her game today. They had been planning for weeks, but today was finally the day they would go to Godric's Hollow. Hermione still thought it was a terrible idea. But who was she to deny Harry the right to see his parents' home?

So they were all going. She was thankful that Draco had agreed to come. It wasn't that she didn't trust Harry, but she feared the Dark Lord might have left a booby trap in the place. She wasn't completely convinced that Harry had come up with this idea on his own. What if the Dark Lord had left hints, compulsions, or false desires in Harry's mind, pulling him toward Godric's Hollow? She wanted to ask Harry about his new interest in Godric's Hollow, but she was afraid it would alienate him. Neither of them could afford that. Harry was so raw emotionally lately, and she made every effort to choke down her emotions so she could be there for Harry.

Padding into the shower, Hermione tried to think of things they might need in Godric's Hollow. Certainly, the invisibility cloak, if only just for Harry. Her stash of healing potions. Her beaded bag, in case they had to flee suddenly. Maybe some Peruvian Darkness Powder as well. She mulled over the small amount of information she had found about Godric's Hollow and what they would find there. It was similar to Hogsmeade in that it was a very magical village, but it wasn't entirely magical because Muggles lived there. So any magic they found would be hidden. Would it be like Diagon Alley? Hermione didn't know, and she wasn't able to find any information out about it. She'd asked Draco, but given his family's aversion to Muggles, he'd never been there. She turned the water up as hot as she could stand it and let it cascade over her aching muscles. It helped, a little.

She was glad Harry had conceded to going there at night. If Harry, in his typical heedless way, would have walked into the village in broad daylight with his wand blazing. Everyone would have known Harry Potter had arrived. With the bounty on his head, that wasn't something they could afford.

Not only that, but they still had Horcruxes to destroy. Lupin had called her via Floo yesterday to tell her he had finally retrieved the locket. Hermione was risking leaving the Keep this afternoon so that she could get it from him. Draco had delivered the cup weeks ago. She should have destroyed it then, but the cup had a similar enchantment as the diadem. She'd locked the cup up in the library, so it wouldn't affect her like the diadem had. Unfortunately, this also meant that she couldn't go into the library without hearing the cup's insidious whispering. Just thinking about it made Hermione shiver even as she lathered her hair with shampoo and let the steamy water relax her muscles. It seemed as if the cup was stronger than the diadem.

She wondered why that would be. Did that mean the cup was made into a Horcrux before the diadem? Or after? Or was the death used for the cup more meaningful to the Dark Lord than the one used for the diadem? Despite the horror of Horcruxes and how they were made, Hermione couldn't help being a little fascinated. If it was possible to have a - safe, objective, academic - conversation with the Dark Lord about Horcruxes and the magic involved, she would. She shook her head. She shouldn't think like that. Horcruxes represented real people and real lives; they could never simply be objects of study. She worried that the cup was skewing her thoughts, morally desensitizing her. Could it be reaching her even from the library? She didn't know. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. The only thing that was certain was that she needed to get rid of the cup sooner than later.

After Godric's Hollow. When they all came back, alive, and safe, then she would destroy both the cup and the locket. She hoped she was strong enough to destroy them together.

She turned off the water, toweled herself dry, and rewrapped the bandage on her arm. She didn't really need it now. The wound was as healed, but her psyche still reeled. It was easier if she didn't have to look at it. She knew that Draco was worried about her and how she was dealing—or not dealing—with Bellatrix's attack.

She knew that someday soon she'd have to engage with the trauma, but right now she couldn't afford to break down. Not when they were so close. She had to be there for Harry. She was all he had, and she was determined to be there for him. She would help him finish this. Then maybe it would be okay to break down. Then she could wail and whine over yet another war scar. She'd deserve it then. Right now, there was work to be done.

She trotted down the stairs to the kitchen and found Harry sipping at a teacup.

"Hey, Hermione," Harry mumbled.

"Didn't sleep well?" Hermione asked as she took in the dark circles under his eyes. That was something else she had to do. Get that Horcrux out of Harry before he collapsed from exhaustion.

Harry shook his head, refusing to meet her eyes.

"It's alright Harry. We're getting close now. I can feel it," Hermione reassured him as she poured for herself.

"What have we got to do today?" Harry asked.

"I have to go out for a bit this afternoon. Draco will come by this evening and the three of us will go to Godric's Hollow. You'll stay under the invisibility cloak, and Draco and I will be disguised."

Harry nodded, "Sounds like a good plan."

"Do you know what you're looking for there?" Hermione ventured. She felt like she had to ask, even though she didn't necessarily want to know.

Harry shook his head, avoiding her eyes.

Hermione sighed. She knew that this was because the Dark Lord had made the suggestion in Harry's mind. She also knew that he was aware of it, which meant they were walking into a trap. She only hoped that whatever happened, Draco's disguise would keep him hidden from the Dark Lord. She did not want to contemplate the consequences if the Dark Lord recognized Draco and knew he working against him.

* * *

The meeting with Remus was uneventful. He handed her the locket, made a sullen comment, and apparated away. She knew Remus loathed being a pack Alpha, but she was thankful he was doing it. Immensely thankful. It kept the heat off of Draco, who had been short-tempered since the beginning of autumn. Hermione wished he would focus more on all the progress they had made. They had two of the last four Horcruxes in their possession. They were so incredibly close to being able to end this.

Even the short amount she touched the necklace before tucking it away in her beaded bag, made her feel slimy and like she needed a shower. It must be at least the same as the cup in strength, perhaps stronger. She couldn't wait to lock it in the library with the cup. She struggled to settle her nerves as she Apparated back to the Keep. It wouldn't do to get jumpy now. Harry needed her to stay calm and collected. It was going to be difficult enough to buffer Draco and Harry's suppressed hostility. She didn't need to add her own emotions into the mix.

She secured the necklace in the library and put up new wards, then went to prepare for the evening. Draco would be by shortly, but she tried to focus on the task in front of her. It had been a few weeks since she'd seen Draco and she was excited, but also knew it wasn't the time for sex. No matter how much she wanted it. They had a job to do tonight.

It would be no small effort to get Harry to Godric's Hollow and do everything they could to protect him while he was there. Despite that, she was the most nervous about springing the trap the Dark Lord had set for them. What would he have there for them? It was a populated village, so hopefully nothing like an erumpent or a dragon, but she couldn't totally rule out the possibility. She would just have to be prepared for any kind of threat.

Hermione sat back in a chair and let her mind play through different scenarios and situations that they might encounter. At one, she sat up with a grimace. She hadn't thought about broomsticks. She hated getting on a broom. If it was their only way out, then it might be necessary. There could be anti-apparition wards, they had no hope of access to a Floo, and she couldn't risk an illegal portkey. Brooms would have to be their secondary mode of transport. She sighed and took one last look at everything in her beaded bag before tying it to a belt loop of her denims and sticking it in her pocket.

Harry was in the kitchen, eating again because he was a teenage boy. Hermione found him here often.

"Hi, Harry," she greeted and took a slice of apple from his plate, popping it into her mouth.

He nodded at her but continued eating. So she rolled her eyes.

"We should pack brooms tonight," Hermione stated.

"Will you get on a broom?" Harry asked.

"To zip around in the sky like a maniac? For fun? No. If it's life or death? Yes. Besides I trust you or Draco to keep me safe on a broom." She didn't miss Harry's stoney face when she mentioned Draco.

"Do we really need him to come with us?" Harry asked.

"No, we don't. But I'd like him to. If nothing else, it'll be a third wand should we run into trouble," Hermione commented lightly. She forced herself to stay neutral and tactful, despite her impression that Harry hadn't given this trip much forethought. He'd told her a few days earlier that if she wouldn't go with him, he'd go by himself. She couldn't risk him going rogue with so many Horcruxes still unaccounted for. Hermione knew that it would be a suicide mission if she didn't go with him.

"Fine," Harry grumbled.

"Let's get your Firebolt packed. Draco will be here soon, so maybe he'll have another broom or two lying around here."

"Like you'd ever get on a broom by yourself," Harry scoffed as he stuffed the last of his sandwich in his mouth. Hermione ignored him.

* * *

The first part of the journey was surprisingly easy. They arrived at Godric's Hollow without incident and walked down the main street with no interruption. Things became unsettling — but not exactly dangerous — when they were lured into a home by a creepy old woman, Bathilda Bagshot, according to Harry. Still, Hermione and Draco stood side by side with their wands at the ready, as Harry followed the woman up the stairs. The house had the small, cramped quality of a decades-old packrat nest. There was barely any room to walk, and every surface was covered with an assortment of parchment, newspapers, books, and scrolls, all topped with a thick layer of brown dust. Hermione had peaked into the kitchen, where there were piles upon piles of sticky, used dishes towering in the sink and on the counters. It certainly explained the smell.

Hermione wasn't going to let Harry out of her sight, but Draco held her back.

"This is the trap," Draco muttered into her ear as they watched Harry disappear to the upper floor of the house.

"How do you know?" Hermione asked.

"Bagshot hasn't said a word. And she smells weird. Like a reptile," Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Nagini?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe. I can't be sure tho—"

Just then they heard Harry shout. Hermione tore off after him, racing up the stairs, two at a time. She arrived in an attic like area to see Bathilda Bagshot's body crumple to the floor and a giant snake explode out of her face.

"Fuck," Harry grunted as he dived to the side to escape the snake as it twisted toward him.

" _Bombarda!_ " Hermione shouted, pointing her wand at the slithering reptile.

It dodged the spell and went for Harry again.

"That's Nagini!" Draco shouted.

"We have to kill her," Hermione told Harry. " _Confringo!"_ she shouted, tearing the snake away from Harry once more.

"How?" Harry shouted. "Fiendfyre?"

"I don't think I have time for that," Hermione grunted rolling out of the way of the serpent's bobbing head.

"Slicing hex," Draco suggested as he threw Nagini against the far wall. She coiled, recovering quickly, and weaved back toward them.

"I don't know if that would destroy the Horcrux," Hermione panted, as she dodged a strike from her venomous fangs.

"Dammit, Hermione! What will work?" Harry asked.

"I don't know!" Hermione shouted back. Why the hell was Harry expecting her to have all the answers?

"Wait! Let me try something," Harry grunted as he rolled out of the way of the viper. "Cover me!"

Hermione edged toward Harry as he began hissing in Parseltongue. Hermione didn't know what he was saying, but the eerie snake-like hissing made her shiver.

And then Nagini stopped moving. She just swayed unsteadily in front of Harry.

"I've got her." Harry said very quietly, very calmly, "I'm going to throw the killing curse, you two try the slicing hexes. She might lunge when I break concentration."

Hermione waved Draco forward, making sure they were all clear of each other's wands.

"Harry on two, Draco on three," Hermione said softly, but clearly. "One, two—"

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ " Harry screamed. The serpent writhed and surged forward in the same instant Harry pointed his wand.

"Three!"

" _DIFFINDO!_ " Hermione and Draco shouted as one. Two bolts of bright blue magic and one bolt of green descended on the Nagini at once, just behind her head. It was enough. The head was severed, and the body continued to writhe, throwing spurting blood everywhere.

A thick, oily substance poured out of the snake's body. Hermione cringed at the snake's scream before it evaporated.

"Four down, three to go," Harry sighed as he began siphoning blood off of himself.

Hermione nodded tiredly, "We should get out of here. No telling what sort of wards and charms the Dark Lord has left on this place."

* * *

The following day Hermione dragged Draco and Harry out to the island on the loch again. She had two more Horcruxes to destroy, and then it would just be Harry left. She thought she had a solution for removing the Horcrux from Harry, but she wanted to get these two pieces out of the Keep at first.

"Can you do two at once?" Harry asked as she set them both on the ground and stepped away.

"I don't see why not," Hermione shrugged. She actually didn't know, but she wanted to kill two birds with one stone. They could bail if it didn't work. Fiendfyre was powerful, but it couldn't cross water. It would extinguish itself once everything on the island had burnt out.

"Regardless, be ready to flee if I tell you to," Hermione told them both, ignoring their doubtful expressions.

She stepped back from the two objects. " _Ignis pe Fende,_ " she intoned as she swung her wand arm in a large circle. Then she drew her wand from the bottom of the circle straight up the middle and with a flick of her wrist, her a fiery phoenix flew out and hit the cup. Another quick wrist motion and a flaming lion engulfed the necklace.

Hermione thought she was prepared for this. She should have been, but she almost swayed when that pernicious voice started up.

"You can't do anything right… you're a failure… never good enough… for anyone…" the cold voice made the hair stand up on the back of Hermione's neck.

She concentrated her magic, pushing more of it through her wand as the flames flared higher and the heat radiating against her face. The rage-beasts grew more ferocious.

"Nobody loves you… swot… bookworm… mudblood…" a second voice emerged, higher and colder than the first. The two voices weaved together, so Hermione felt like she was surrounded by the vicious words, overlapping and amplifying. She closed her eyes and felt her wand arm start to falter. Sweat beaded and slid down her skin.

She had almost dropped her arm entirely when she felt Draco's hand on her shoulder. How she knew it was Draco and not Harry, she didn't know. But she did. It was Draco. She felt a rush through her body as he directed his magic into her. It twined and twirled around her own before being pushed out of her wand and directed at the Fiendfyre.

Dual shrieks sounded around the loch, echoing across the water. The greasy, black mist dissipated.

" _Mergit Ignis!"_ Hermione shouted and for once, it worked the first time. The rage-beasts turned around and dissolved back into the tip of her wand. As always, ending with the wolf that padded slowly toward her.

"Merlin, 'Mione," Harry breathed.

"That was… incredible," Draco commented and dropped his hand from her shoulder.

Hermione nodded tiredly, then promptly sat on the ground, too exhausted to hold herself up. Now she knew. Destroying more than one Horcrux at a time was dangerously draining. She wouldn't be able to work on Harry's today. Maybe not even tomorrow.

* * *

"Dammit, Potter," Draco growled.

Hermione sighed. The three of them were in the library. It was almost Christmas and snow flew hard and fast outside the Keep. The fireplace was roaring, keeping the library warm and comfortable. But Hermione was frustrated. They had been at this most of the day, and she wasn't having any success in removing the Horcrux from Harry.

"You have to hold still, Harry," Hermione said for the tenth time that day. Hermione had destroyed the two Horcruxes a week ago, and she was finally feeling well enough to try to extract the one hiding in Harry's head. And it was in his head. She had determined that it was right behind his lightning bolt scar.

"It tickles," Harry muttered.

"Oh, get over it Potter," Draco drawled. "You would think you'd want that piece of the Dark Lord out of your head."

"I do," Harry said angrily.

"Then hold still!" Draco shouted.

"Enough," Hermione said quietly. "Let's start again. Harry hold still. Don't move no matter what you feel, or I'll have Draco bind you."

"He'd like that, the kinky bastard," Harry muttered and Hermione bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Shut it, Potter."

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She reached out with her magic. She could feel Draco's magic behind her, it was blue, feeling warm and comforting, like coming home. She made herself ignore him and reached out further. There he was. Harry's magic was red and bright, like a party, but also disjointed. There was a cacophony in his magic that wasn't in Hermione's or Draco's.

That was the Horcrux. Hermione had to isolate the Horcrux and say an incantation to lift it out of Harry and place it in an old dagger Draco had found. They hoped the symbolism would draw the Horcrux in.

The problem was isolating the Horcrux. It moved around and hid behind Harry's magic. It didn't want to be found. But Hermione was persistent. At least this time Harry was holding still. It was easier if he didn't move. His magic was a part of his physical body and if he moved his body, then his magic also moved. Just moving a limb jostled his magic around.

Hermione chased the blob of darkness. She was stalking it down like a panther stalks its prey. Keeping it on the move and slowly cornering it.

Finally, she had it. She surrounded it with her own magic, ensuring that she had the entire thing enclosed. It wouldn't do to leave fragments of it in Harry. Small split pieces would be harder to find and isolate when she repeated the process. She circled her magic around the Horcrux three times. When she was sure had it completely contained, she whispered the incantation and began to pull back from Harry.

She was there. She could feel it. She was so close. Hermione exhaled slowly and pulled harder.

"OW!" Harry gasped in pain, and Hermione squeezed her eyes to keep them shut to keep her focus on the Horcrux.. It was no use; it slipped away from her grasp and snapped back into Harry.

"Fuck," she muttered.

"This isn't going to work is it?" Draco asked.

"No, I can make it work," Hermione insisted opening her eyes.

"It's okay, 'Mione," Harry shrugged and rubbed his temples, looking exhausted. "I've lived with it for this long. I need a break anyway. My head is throbbing."

"But…" Hermione trailed off. How was she supposed to tell Harry that keeping the Horcrux in him likely meant his death?

"I understand," Harry told her. He reached forward and grasped her hands. "Truly I do. The Horcrux in me has to go. So, I have to go."

Hermione wiped a treacherous tear from her right eye.

"You don't have to be so strong all the time, you know?" Harry said and wrapped his arms around Hermione as she began to cry into his shoulder. How would she survive without Harry?

"I'm the last Horcrux left," Harry said and pulled back from her. "I think it's almost time."

"New Year's Eve," Draco said.

"What?" Hermione asked. She wiped her face. She could cry later when she was alone.

"That's when we should attack. We have about two weeks to get ready, to warn the Order. All of the Death Eaters will be in attendance that night."

"It's a plan," Harry agreed.

* * *

Hermione huddled under the comforter of her bed, crying softly to herself as she had since trying to remove Harry's Horcrux. She felt like she had completely failed her two best friends. She couldn't get the Horcrux out of Harry. She let Ron die. She didn't even try to stop Greyback.

"Stop it," Draco said from the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked. She sat up and wiped her face. She didn't want him to see how weak she was. Would he leave her? If he knew what a failure she was?

"Stop it," Draco said again. He shut the door behind him and strode across the room, kicking off his boots as he went.

"What?" Hermione asked and furrowed her brow.

"Harry Floo called me," he said by way of explanation. He shrugged off his shirt and trousers at the foot of the bed.

"What?" Hermione said again. Why would Harry Floo call Draco?

"He hears you, you know. You aren't as quiet or as sneaky as you think you are," Draco said and crawled into bed in only his pants. He pulled her to him as he leaned his back against the headboard. Hermione laid her head on his chest.

"Oh." Her cheeks burned red. She couldn't believe Harry heard her. That was exactly what she wanted to avoid. She was trying to protect Harry. Another way she'd failed apparently.

"And I can feel you through the Mate bond," Draco said at last, kissing the top of her head.

"Oh, gods," Hermione sobbed into his chest. He could feel her. He could feel her anger, depression, and anguish. He knew what a failure she was. And now she was blubbering on his chest. She was disgusting.

"Oh, Hermione, love," Draco tightened his arms around her and ran his hand over her head and shoulders.

"My love, shhh Mate," Draco soothed. "I don't hate you. I don't loathe you. I'm not disgusted by you. Not one bit."

Hermione tried to get herself together. She didn't want to be the person who cried at everything. What was wrong with her?

"It's grief. It's natural," Draco told her. "And who knows what effect destroying those Horcruxes has had on you."

"I'm a failure," Hermione finally choked out. "How could you… I fail at _everything_."

Draco laughed, deep full belly laughs. "Oh, gods, you are the least likely person to fail at anything."

"No, but this afternoon—"

"You couldn't move a Horcrux. You tried to do something that has probably never been attempted before. You can't consider yourself a failure for that. Maybe it's not even possible?" He shrugged and Hermione felt the motion with her head. She refused to look up at him and kept her face buried in his chest. She couldn't logically argue his point. There was no direct evidence that it was possible to move a Horcrux once it has been placed, especially from a living thing. Research was limited, and it had all centered on the mutual destruction of the Horcrux and the object that housed it.

"What about Ron? I couldn't save him. I couldn't stop Greyback," she whispered.

"Ron is not your fault. That fault lies with Greyback alone," Draco muttered into her hair.

"What about all the amazing things you have done in the last few months?" Draco continued. He held up a hand and began ticking them off.

"You walked into my home and greeted my mother as well as any pure-blood princess. You sassed the Dark Lord. You held your own with my pack and Alpha. You boss Lupin around like he's your personal employee. You risked Snape's temper and not just learned, but _mastered_ Fiendfyre. You've destroyed four Horcruxes. You are fucking amazing."

She pulled back and looked him in the face. He was smirking at her.

"And you had the extreme good fortune to choose me as your Mate. Then you had the even better luck of falling in love with me," he breathed and leaned down, covering her mouth with his own.

Hermione sighed into his kiss. She was very lucky to have found him.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: I couldn't wait until Friday night! So bonus surprise! You get the final two chapters 2 days earlier than planned! Yay!**

 **The largest of thanks to brownlark42 for making this chapter what it was. Her suggestions really turned this chapter around and I cannot thank her enough.**

 **I'm always delighted to hear what you think, so drop me a line!**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

In the weeks since Rand's death, Draco had spent a lot of time with the pack. Greyback had been acting secretive and strange. He seemed to be pulling away from Draco and attempting to consolidate power with some of the other members of the pack. Perhaps most surprisingly, he seemed to have stopped drinking. Draco reached out to Greyback a few times, but he was consistently rebuffed.

Draco focused on the pack, hoping that he made a better impression than Greyback. Draco capitalized on Greyback's recent erratic behavior by showing the other wolves that he was reliable. He was always there for them.

Draco now wondered if the drinking problem that Greyback seemed to have developed over the last several months was a ruse. Had Greyback been pretending to be a drunkard so that Draco would let his guard down? He worried that Greyback would succeed in splintering the collective. It was true that Draco planned to become Alpha, but he wanted to do it for the good of the pack. He wanted to fight against the Dark Lord and bring a better life for everyone. Draco knew that wasn't necessarily Greyback's intention. What would happen if the pack did splinter? What would become of the collective?

It was the last full moon of the year, only a week before New Year's Eve. Draco had spent the day with the pack in the dueling court. He truly enjoyed being close to them. Each wolf brought something special and unique, and Draco could feel his bond to the collective strengthen as he spent more time with them. Draco spent time meditating while most of the pack slept in the afternoon. He wanted to explore and understand the collective better. He wondered if he could feel individuals? He'd never tried before; he'd only ever felt the collective as a whole, listening to it hum in the back of his mind.

He sat on the floor of his tent, closed his eyes, and searched for Reule for what seemed like the first time in months. They met during the full moons, and Draco was gaining more awareness and self-control during these times, but he otherwise kept Reule separate from himself. He knew he needed to merge with Reule to fully become one with his werewolf nature, but he also hadn't pushed himself. Maybe today was a good day to try.

 _Reule?_

 _I'm here._ Reule sounded weaker than he ever had before.

 _I need to understand the collective,_ Draco thought to Reule.

 _We're becoming one. You've almost totally accepted your werewolf nature._ Draco could practically feel the laughter. _Come toward the back of your mind. The collective feels warm and yellow._

Draco concentrated on what Reule was telling him. Near the back of his mind were two warm areas, like amorphous orbs. One was warm and yellow and seemed larger than the other. The second was red and blisteringly hot.

 _That one's your Mate bond_ , Reule explained, clearly meaning the hot, red one.

 _What's wrong with it?_ Draco asked. It didn't seem like his Mate bond should resemble a childhood fever.

Reule chuckled, _Nothing. Mate bonds are like that. Hot, red, reeking of sex, passion, and love._

Draco nodded. He supposed that made sense. He put the Mate bond out of his mind for now and turned to the collective.

He reached out with his thoughts and touched the warm, yellow sphere. Immediately a cacophony of voices, thoughts, and feelings exploded into his awareness.

Physically, he flinched. Mentally, he moved away from the collective. _What was that?_

 _The collective,_ Reule answered. _The thoughts, feelings, emotions of your pack. All in one place._

 _Wow._ Draco reached back out to touch the collective again. The cacophony had quieted. _Can I feel an individual through this?_

 _Maybe? Depends on how close you are to them._

 _Physically or emotionally?_

 _Emotionally._

Draco nodded and concentrated on Seff, his closest ally. And there he was. Sleeping, and apparently having a dream. Draco stepped away from the collective to break his connection to Seff. He didn't want to invade anyone's privacy. Except…

He reached back out to the collective and thought about Greyback. It wasn't like with Seff at all. Nothing was clear, and there was a jumble of colors and emotions that Draco couldn't parse out. He already knew that he wasn't as close to Greyback as he was to Seff, but Draco felt a little disappointed that he couldn't connect with the Alpha's feelings. It would go a long way in helping Draco understand what to do in regards to the pack.

 _I think this is the last one,_ Reule said.

 _Last what?_

 _The last full moon I'll be here for._

Draco didn't say anything. He should feel happier than he did, but he suddenly felt a hollow sense of loss. Reule had been his steady companion through a dozen and half full moons. Draco realized he would miss him.

 _Let's make it a good one then._

Reule chuckled and Draco opened his eyes. He checked his watch, still a few hours before moonrise. He set an alarm and settled down to sleep for a few hours.

* * *

The full moon was upon them and Draco jogged out to the south wood trailing behind the pack with Seff. After Draco had taken the Mark and become Beta, he became responsible for setting wards on the wood to keep the pack safe — and to keep everyone else safe from the pack. He did so quickly, just as the moon rose over the horizon. He gazed at it momentarily before the change took place. It was painful, but more of an aching pain than sharp and acute as it has been before. The pain disappeared completely once he was transformed into his wolf.

 _Reule?_

 _I'm still here. I'll be gone by morning._

Draco nodded, _Thanks, for everything._

Reule laughed, _I'm you, pup. You're me. No thanks necessary._

Draco focused on his pack. Most were through the change and up on their feet. The collective exploded in his mind and he felt his connection to each of his packmates solidify in permanence. He began to take in details about them that he never had before. He should have done this months ago. This was brilliant.

He barked a happy bark and turned to greet Seff, who was tiny compared to him. He was no larger than a beagle and a dull brown color that looked muddy beside Draco's shimmering white fur. Draco gave him a sniff and a lick then turned to greet the rest of the pack.

He gave bowed first to Greyback, a huge thick-furred black wolf, taller than a Great Dane and as broad as a St. Bernard, and second to Arnou, who was also large and black but had a glimmer of silver around his snout that showed his age. When Draco stood from his bow with Greyback, he realized they were the same size. When had that happened? He pushed it out of his mind.

Caleb tackled him from the side. He was the size of a labrador and had a short, rough brindle coat. He and Draco played for a few moments, tackling each other and snapping at anything within reach. Bledig and Udolf joined in and soon there was just a pile of wolves playing and wrestling with each other. Draco felt joy and freedom sweep through him and the collective in response.

After an hour or so of romping with his pack, Draco felt distress come through the collective. Someone in the pack was in danger. He knew it instinctively. Closing his eyes, he traced to where the distress call was coming from. Udolf was sending it. Draco raced towards the feeling, heading deep into the south wood until they were on the far edge. He didn't smell any other pack members nearby, just Udolf. He stopped for a moment and sniffed the air, trying to scent out who else was nearby. The wind shifted and changed. There it was: Greyback.

Draco began running again, toward where he had scented Udolf and Greyback. He reached the edge of his ward. Wards were generally invisible unless whatever they were protecting was touching them. Draco's ward lit up the night sky in a brilliant blue, as bright as lightning. Udolf was backed into it as Greyback stalked nearer him, growling and threatening. Greyback's hackles were raised, and Udolf was cowering before him.

Greyback was massive and loomed over Udolf as if he was a puppy. He and Draco were the biggest wolves in the pack and now that Rand was dead, nobody else was even close to their size. Draco growled, low and deep in his throat and barreled straight at Greyback. Greyback must not have realized Draco was there because he didn't turn before Draco plowed into his flank. He tackled Greyback to the ground, snapping at his neck.

Greyback rolled out from underneath Draco, and they circled each other. Dimly, Draco noted that Udolf had run away. Draco wondered if this was going to be the final showdown between him and Greyback. Greyback lunged at him, but Draco danced away. Without warning, Arnou suddenly appeared between them. Draco didn't realize Arnou could move that fast. He effectively shut Greyback down and Draco backed off. Draco didn't think he was ready for this yet. But Greyback was intimidating a wolf in his own pack. Greyback had proved tonight that he was beyond reason. Draco could only assume Greyback was threatening Udolf because he had become close to Draco after Rand's death.

The rest of the night passed uneventfully. Greyback stayed distant from the pack after that, and Draco did his best to avoid thinking about it so he wouldn't disrupt the collective. Just as the moon was about to set and the sun to rise, Draco let loose his last howl of the night. It was a howl full of liberty and jubilation in his pack and everything that came with it.

Draco heard Reule's voice in his mind one more time after that last howl.

 _We've done good, pup._

The howl resonated through the woods and hung in the air for a few more moments. And then all was quiet.

* * *

Draco took a deep breath and held it in. The night air outside of the Keep was cold, but at least the snow had stopped. He was glad it was warmer in Wiltshire — he definitely didn't relish the thought of battling in snow. He also didn't relish the thought of battling in his childhood home, but it had been his suggestion. He couldn't go back on it now. In truth, he didn't want to. It was time to end this.

With one Horcrux left and the Dark Lord weakened, it would be over soon. He wondered what Hermione had planned for the Dark Lord. Draco knew Potter had to die, and he certainly didn't delight in that. He would never admit it, but he felt that he might actually miss Potter. Not for himself necessarily, but for his Mate. She was already on an edge and Draco didn't want to know what would happen to her when her best friend died. He would have to do everything he could to keep her together.

He glanced down at his watch as he waited for Hermione and Potter. They were Floo calling the Order right now to give them final instructions. Hermione had somehow become a de facto leader of the Order of the Phoenix. It was just one more amazing, incredible thing she'd done in the last few months without even realizing it. He took a deep breath and held it, trying to calm his nerves.

Fenrir had been invited to the ball as an esteemed Death Eater, and he had extended his invitation to everyone in the pack. He told them that they were to be honored for everything they had done in service to the Dark Lord in the past year. Draco planned to use this invitation to his advantage, to bring potential allies to the battle, but also suspected ulterior motives. Their pack was impressive. Was it impressive enough to start creating followers among Death Eaters?

That's what Fenrir had wanted, back before he'd become so unstable. He had wanted power; and he was going to let the Dark Lord win the war and then take him out afterward. This seemed like one step more toward that end. Draco felt ashamed for thinking that Fenrir had truly given up his pursuit of power.

The thought also made him feel guilty. The pack was being pulled in two very different directions and they were hardly privy to any of it. He'd spoken with the pack tonight, while Fenrir was out meeting with other Death Eaters. He hadn't directly stated that he planned to fight against the Dark Lord, but he had told them to be careful. He told them he had heard rumors of someone 'crashing the party', and that they needed to pay attention to who was winning, who was truly stronger. He told them to remember that defensive magic was much more forgivable than offensive magic.

And he reminded them that pack came first. Always first. Afterward, he had reached out through the collective to each of them, one by one, with one last touch of solidarity.

He hoped it would be enough. He had to believe that the pack would unite under him. That he and Hermione would win this thing. That and that the Order would win — even if it meant Potter had to die.

"Alright, let's go," Hermione said from behind him. He whirled around to see her and Potter dressed entirely in black Muggle clothes. He nodded at Potter and pulled Hermione aside. He drew a knife from his pocket and flipped it over, handing it to her handle-first.

"What's this?" she asked as she fingered the ornately carved handle. It was made of ebony and had a pure silver blade.

"It's a knife. I want you to put it in your boot," Draco insisted.

"Draco, I'm not going to need a knife. I have a wand," Hermione said as if she were explaining something to a child.

"It's a silver knife," Draco responded. "It's in case you get in a bad spot without your wand."

"A silver… Why do you have such a thing?"

Draco swallowed. She hadn't noticed he'd only touched it with his gloves on. Silver put through a werewolf's heart would kill him every time. Whether he was in human or wolf form.

"It's just for backup. Please, put it in your boot," he urged her. She frowned at him for a moment and hesitated, but she transfigured a holster for the knife and slid it into the outside of her right boot.

Draco breathed easier. He suspected Greyback was unpredictable enough to attack his Mate. Not to mention that a knife could also do some damage no matter who attacked — werewolf or not.

"We ready?" Potter asked as he joined them.

"Is the Order meeting us?" Draco asked.

"Yes. Lower the wards when we get to the Manor," Hermione said. "It's better if they meet us all there."

Draco nodded. "Alright, let's go."

* * *

Nothing could have shocked the Death Eaters more than having their genteel ball interrupted by fighting and battle magic. Unfortunately, Death Eaters never stayed surprised long. With political tension running so high, they were prepared for an unexpected attack. They rallied quickly, ready to fight back.

Draco did his best to stay clear of the Dark Lord. He knew that he and his mother were the obvious culprits directing the attack. He just hoped his mother would be able to elude the Dark Lord as well.

The ballroom at Malfoy Manor was large and open, with only a handful of pillars and a few intact tables to use as cover. Members of the Order had begun appearing on the grounds as soon as Draco lowered the wards. Draco was surprised but thrilled at their force. There were many more than he expected. He directed the Order to the ballroom and as soon as everyone was inside, he swung the double doors shut and began to seal them. The heavy doors had slammed closed with a _boom_ , which echoed across the room. Everyone inside paused and there was a tense, eerie silence as the situation became clear. Nobody would be leaving until this was over.

Someone in a far corner gave a deafening shriek. Suddenly, the room was in tumult. The battle had begun in earnest. Spells erupted from wands and the air was lit with spellfire. Decorations and tables were destroyed in a matter of moments. Anything that could be used for cover was. The elegantly clad Death Eaters had murder on their faces. It was a stark juxtaposition with the Order members in their black Muggle dress or austere wizarding robes, with their faces full of determination. The shouting of spells was loud, the clash of magic was deafening as the two sides came together in all-out warfare.

Not long after the battle began, Draco stood back to back with Seff, fighting off Death Eaters. Seff had caught on early to what Draco was doing, and had tagged along. Draco didn't stop him. Seff was a big boy and older than Draco, even though he didn't act it all the time. Seff knew what it meant to officially go against the Alpha. Draco felt stronger just knowing that the Omega was at his back. He hoped the rest of his pack was following his lead.

As he fought, he quickly scanned the ballroom in search of Greyback. Draco had assumed he would be at the front of the room showing off to the Dark Lord, but he was nowhere to be seen. Draco spotted the rest of the pack first thing. He quickly checked the collective, nothing alarming was coming through. He watched Udolf take out one of the Carrow's and he grinned, pleased to see his covert message seemed to have gotten through to at least some of the pack. He glanced toward the sealed doors and found they were still shut. Greyback had to be here, somewhere. Draco wanted to be the first to fight him. He knew that most of the members of the Order—or even another Alpha like Lupin—would be nearly defenseless against the wolf's rage and cunning. The Order might bring skill, but Fenrir brought a unique element of unhinged viciousness. People were going to die. The sooner Draco found Greyback, the better.

"Traitor!" Rabastan Lestrange screamed at him, lunging toward him from the right and casting a barrage of spells. Draco smoothly parried the spells and put Lestrange down with cold efficiency. He couldn't waste time with nuisances like this. He needed to find Greyback, and he had lost Hermione at some point. He had last seen her battling Rookwood and now he was desperate to set eyes on her again. She still felt strong through the mate bond, which meant she hadn't taken any serious blows. At least not yet.

Draco shook himself and turned to look for his next opponent. He breathed a sigh of relief when spied his mother across the room standing back to back with Snape. He knew Snape would keep her safe. He watched for a moment as Snape conjured a horde of serpents and set them to attack unsuspecting Death Eaters. Draco could appreciate Snape's creativity. He watched a viper avoid Shacklebolt, weaving in and out of his footwork, to bite Gibbon's shin. Gibbon gave a shout and grabbed his leg and the viper snapped again and again on his hand. Gibbon tumbled to the ground, and the viper whipped around to strike his face. Shacklebolt looked nonplussed before turning to his next opponent, Goyle Sr.

One benefit of having attacked during a formal gathering was that none of the Death Eaters had their masks on. Draco hadn't appreciated that fact until now. No hiding behind anonymity for the Death Eaters on this night.

Draco turned his attention back to Seff and found McGonagall coming upon them quickly. She nodded at him and Draco returned the nod warily. He tracked her progress to watch her transfigure a large chunk of broken pillar into a huge flying dragon. The dragon flew at the circle of Death Eaters who had surrounded the Dark Lord in a far corner of the room. The Dark Lord was commanding the Death Eaters and didn't realize there was a dragon flying straight toward them. Draco paused to let himself be impressed that the dragon fit so neatly into the Manor ballroom.

The Dark Lord's protective circle of Death Eaters immediately began firing spells at the large, green beast. It roared and spat fire at them in response. McGonagall had moved on and was fighting her own duel, when the dragon was winged and crashed through two pillars, knocking stone and masonry loose onto the battle below. The last pillar was enough for the dragon to lose all its magic and fall to the floor as a piece of rock once more. Draco gritted his teeth and watched the Dark Lord rally his circle again.

Seff took a slicing curse to the left arm and growled with pain, staggering sideways and losing grip on his wand. Draco dragged him behind a pillar to give him time to recover. Seff's arm was bleeding, and he had taken another nasty hit at his right knee. Draco healed him quickly and they both drank down an Invigoration Draught. Hermione had been busy while sequestered at the Keep, and she had brewed all sorts of useful potions to help keep everyone safe.

Draco took a deep breath and slid his head around the pillar to take in the battle before them. He would go where help was needed the most, but he also needed to maintain a good vantage point for finding Greyback. Members of the Order were holding their own, and Draco saw more than one Death Eater disarmed or cast down.

Then he was struck with horror and froze. Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson were fighting side by side against Rosier and Travers. Not only had he not realized his classmates were in attendance, he had no idea they had taken a side. His side. And they were definitely not prepared for a fight like this.

"Fuck! We gotta go, Seff!" Draco shouted and started pulling the Omega behind him. He had to save his friends. He felt sick at the idea that they'd been invited to his home, and he was the one who brought the battle here. They wouldn't be in danger now if it weren't for him.

He dodged spellfire and cast a shield around Pansy just as Travers, a massive blond Death Eater wearing blood-red robes, shot an Entrail-Expelling Curse at her. Draco had seen enough of those to last a lifetime. He never wanted to stuff someone's guts back in again. Pansy turned to see who had protected her and flashed him a smirk before turning back to her duel.

Draco raced to the pair as Yaxley joined their opponents.

"Circle Yaxley, Rosier, and Travers, Seff, but don't hit Blaise or Pansy," he waved toward his friends, as he took off. He sneaked up behind Yaxley, who was fighting Pansy and shot a Stunner curse straight at the center of the man's back. Yaxley moved at just the right time, and the spell went wide. Pansy managed to duck as the Stunner went over her head, and she cast an Incarcerous that tripped up Yaxley. Draco cast a second Incarcerous and plucked the wand out of the fallen Death Eater's hand.

"Sorry, mate," Draco mumbled without sincerity and banished the bound Yaxley to the side of the room. He'd been using this strategy since the battle began and had established quite the holding area of bound and wandless Death Eaters. He tucked the confiscated wand into a side pocket on his trousers. Another bit of brilliance on Hermione's part. She had enlarged and expanded the pocket, similar to her beaded bag. Draco could stick as many wands as he needed in there and it would never get full.

"Alright, Pansy?" Draco asked as Seff and Blaise took care of Travers and Rosier.

"Sure. A little dueling before dinner is a good way to whet the appetite."

She surprised Draco into a laugh and he grinned down at her and pulled her into a quick hug, "Be careful, yeah?"

She nodded into his chest. "I've got Blaise to look after. I'll be fine."

Draco laughed again and turned toward Blaise.

"Alright, mate?" Blaise asked.

"Of course," Draco said distractedly. He wasn't looking at Blaise, but instead, he was scanning the room for Hermione. He spun in a slow circle, looking for his Mate, but he still didn't see her through all of the spellfire and battles going on. He could still sense her through the mate bond, but the feeling was weaker.

"Granger will be fine. She's got Potter," Blaise said under his breath.

"Right," Draco nodded.

"Shit. Uh, Beta?" Seff interrupted.

Draco turned toward him and Seff was gesturing wildly toward the other side of the ballroom. Greyback was headed Draco's way and he had murder in his eyes. Draco took a deep breath and closed his eyes, concentrating on his connection to the collective. White, hot, rage flowed through it directly from Greyback. His Alpha was coming for him.

At least Draco had been warned. He snapped his eyes open and spotted something that made his blood run cold. Greyback was stalking him, but inexplicably, Hermione was hot on his trail.

"Let's go, Seff!" Draco shouted as he took off toward his mate. He took a circuitous route so that Fenrir wouldn't realize that Hermione was stalking him. He also wanted to draw Fenrir away from the thickest part of the battle. It would be easier to confront him without others interfering. Or worse, helping Fenrir win.

He dodged bodies and blocked spells, trying to cross half the room as Hermione cast a slicing hex at Greyback. _Fuck, fuck, fuck_ , Draco chanted in his head as he tried to get to his Mate. The hex missed and suddenly Draco found himself standing just a few paces in front of Greyback. The other wolf was growling, low and menacing.

"So you want to be Alpha?" Greyback asked. "You _will_ fail. I taught you everything you know, _Malfoy_." Greyback spat his last name like it was a curse. "You can't beat me."

Draco let Greyback's taunts wash over him. He was more concerned with Hermione. He shook his head at her. This was his fight. He turned his full attention to Greyback.

"Stand down, Alpha! You won't be able to defeat me any more than you'll be able to best the Dark Lord. The Order _is_ winning, and guess what, Greyback? _Your_ pack is fighting on _my_ side. You cannot win this, look around you," Draco gestured toward the battle. The pack had begun finding their way toward the confrontation between Alpha and Beta. They were fending off any Death Eaters who came close. They knew what was about to happen and how this would affect their lives.

Greybacks face contorted with fury and leapt at Draco, changing into a wolf at the same time. Draco didn't transform, but he stepped to the side to avoid Greyback's lunge. The huge black beast shook himself and began circling Draco.

"Come and get me Alpha!" Draco shouted at him as he stood his ground.

"Draco!" Hermione shouted and he took his eyes off of Greyback for a moment to find her in the crowd. It was enough. Greyback barrelled into him and Draco landed on the ground hard. _Fuck, shite, fuck_. Draco swore at the mistake. Getting taken caught unawares was going to be the death of him.

Greyback reared back to attack and Draco pushed him off and rolled away. He jumped to his feet in time to see Hermione casting a slicing hex at the wolf. Greyback caught the hex in his right shoulder and whirled to face her with a growl. In an instant, he was back to his human shape with his wand in his hand.

Hermione and Greyback began to duel and Draco's breath caught and he made a strangled sound. What in the bloody shite was she doing? Greyback would kill her.

Draco surged forward just as Greyback cast the killing curse at his mate. She summoned a statue from the wall, and wolves ducked out of the way as it came sailing through the air and into the path of the curse. The statue splintered apart, but blocked the curse and sent it into the ceiling far above. Draco's heart raced and he cast the only thing that came to his mind, a knockback jinx. Greyback stumbled and landed on his arse. Hermione tackled him and lost her wand in the process.

She pulled the dagger from her boot. It was as if time froze.

Hermione stood above Greyback, who was flat on his back. Her left foot was squarely on his chest and she was holding the knife steadily over his heart.

"This is for Ron," Hermione hissed. The silver flashed in the candlelit chandeliers.

Draco couldn't move as he watched her bring it above her head.

Greyback laughed, "You don't have the balls or the strength, little girl," he whispered, his arrogant confidence unwavering. Draco felt the breath leave his body as the collective shifted and shattered in the back of his mind. He shouted wordlessly and was barely aware of Seff and the rest of the pack doing the same.

Hermione slammed the dagger down straight into Greyback's heart. Blood and magic exploded out of Greyback, slamming into Hermione. Her body rocked from the force, but she kept her footing.

Draco felt the shattered collective dissolve outward, like the sea at low tide. And then the collective came imploding back into his head with a flash of light behind his eyes. He felt dizzy and unsure of himself as he and Seff both stumbled. Seff propped him up and Draco took in the scene before him.

Greyback was dead. The Alpha was dead. Killed by Hermione. His Mate.

She turned and found him instantly, her eyes were wide and wild and she was covered in Greyback's blood.

"Draco…" And then she collapsed on top of the dead werewolf.

"Granger!" Draco shouted and ran the last few feet until he was at her side. What happened? He checked her over for injuries and couldn't find anything wrong. "Granger!" he shouted and shook her, willing her to wake up. Her head lolled and he slapped her cheek. "Granger!" he shouted again and her eyes fluttered. He pulled her to him, cradling her close.

"Draco," she breathed as she came to, her eyes beginning to focus on him once more. "I can feel you…"

"What?" Draco asked. He didn't know what she was talking about. Of course, she could feel him, he was holding her.

"The collective…" she whispered. "I…"

"Shhh, not now," Draco said as he pulled her to standing, his arm wrapped around her waist.

They had to get out of here. She wasn't fit to fight. Not now. He glanced down and caught sight of Greyback's dead and bloodied body. Draco felt free. For the first time in over a year, he felt free. Free of Greyback and soon to be free of the Dark Lord. The Order was winning, there were more of them standing than Death Eaters. Although the Dark Lord still battled in a corner and Potter was nowhere to be found.

"Harry," Hermione said. Her voice was stronger and Draco looked back down at her. She seemed to rouse herself and was standing under her own power once more.

"We have to get out of here," Draco said as he glanced around the ballroom again. They were almost dead center, and it was going to be a fight to get to one of the doors. Thankfully, the pack was still covering them.

"No, we have to get to Harry," Hermione persisted.

She pulled away from him. How was she so recovered so soon? What was going on? Draco could feel the collective in the back of his mind. It felt the same, and yet different. He knew it would change as soon as Greyback was gone, but this didn't feel like a loss. They had only gained. They had become stronger in a way that was unfamiliar and complicated. Did that mean he was Alpha? He didn't feel like Alpha. When he became Beta, the collective seemed to snap into awareness even brighter and tighter than it was before. But now, it felt the same. Shouldn't it feel different as Alpha? Draco wanted to think so, but he wasn't sure.

"Alpha, we should go," Seff said, speaking to Hermione. Draco shook his head in confusion. Seff was right. Hermione was pulling away toward Potter, who had just materialized in front of the Dark Lord.

"Alright, let's cover her," Draco directed Seff and the rest of the pack. They all began fighting through the crowd with Hermione leading them. They blocked and dodged stray spells, as Hermione made a beeline for Potter and his final duel with the Dark Lord.

"What have you done with my mossst valuable ssservant, Potter?" the Dark Lord shouted at him as he sent a curse toward Lupin, who was fighting alongside Potter. The Dark Lord's protective cloud of Death Eaters smaller, and standing down per his orders.

"Oh, you mean Bellatrix?" Potter taunted him. Draco's eyes widened. He'd been neatly dodging the Dark Lord for months, avoiding any talk of Aunt Bella. The Dark Lord believed she had gotten herself captured by the Order, and Draco had never contradicted him.

"Of courssse, you imbecile," the Dark Lord hissed.

"Your other very loyal servant killed her," Potter shrugged and cast an Expelliarmus at the Dark Lord.

Draco felt like banging his head against the wall. He was far enough back that the Dark Lord hadn't noticed, but if he was going to continue covering Hermione he would have to step forward soon. Smoke from the spell-fire hung thick in the air, making visibility low.

"Who?" the Dark Lord growled. He had stopped dueling at this point and was only deflecting spells that came his way.

"Draco Malfoy, of course," Potter replied nonchalantly. "Bellatrix was torturing his Mate. The werewolf in him wouldn't stand for that.

"Isss that ssso?" the Dark Lord locked eyes with Draco and raised his wand. " _Avada Kedavra!_ "

Draco flinched and his jaw dropped when Potter dived in front of him, taking the spell in the side. He knew Potter had to die, but to save Draco while he was at it? Draco knew he didn't deserve that. But he was very thankful. He didn't have time to think much beyond that before the Dark Lord's attention rested on him.

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed and Draco gulped. He was in deep shit now. He had no plans beyond trusting that Hermione would do whatever she needed to do with the Dark Lord.

He shot a nonverbal Bombarda at the Dark Lord, then ducked and rolled to his right, away from Potter's body. He'd lost sight of Hermione again, and Seff was nowhere to be found. Draco was fucked. But he would hold the Dark Lord off for as long as he could. If he could distract him just long enough to let Hermione work, it would be worth it. He didn't want to die, but Draco was ready for anything. If his death also brought about the Dark Lord's death, so be it.

"Have you missed having poor, insane Bella at your beck and call?" Draco asked the Dark Lord and tossed a handful of Peruvian Darkness Powder at the Dark Lord's feet. It wouldn't last long, but it didn't need to.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Snape hissed into Draco's ear. Draco had no idea where he'd come from. He'd lost sight of Snape and his mother ages ago. And at the moment, he was too worried about staying alive, then keeping track of the Order.

"Trying to distract the Dark Lord, Godfather," Draco bit back and cast a knockback jinx toward where Draco assumed the Dark Lord's feet were.

"You have got to be the stupidest—"

"Oh shut it, Snape," Draco hissed. "It's darkness powder, not sound-proof. You just stay back and protect Mother."

"And where will she be if her only son dies?"

"I'm sure you'll keep her company at night," Draco bit out. He loathed to admit it, but there was some comfort in the fact that Snape would take care of his mother if he didn't survive today. "Get back to her. Get yourselves safe."

Draco moved away from Snape and back toward where he'd last seen Hermione. The darkness powder was clearing and Draco could hear the Dark Lord's enraged bellows.

And then suddenly, Potter, who was supposed to be dead — Draco had watched the Avada Kedavra hit his chest — was standing in front of him once more.

"I'm apparently very difficult to kill, Tom!" Harry shouted, directing the Dark Lord's attention their way.

Draco raised his own wand and started conjuring a shield around himself and Potter. He couldn't dwell on the impossibility of this right now. He was sure Hermione would have a million theories. But right now, he had to concentrate on ending the Dark Lord.

"POTTER!" the Dark Lord raged, sending a Confringo in a wide circle around him. It hit the shield, and Draco grunted as he was forced more magic into the shield to keep from being blasted off his feet.

"Now!" Potter yelled, and Draco let the shield drop. The Dark Lord was fast. He flicked his wand, and Draco was on the ground, bleeding out from a large wound in his chest.

"Seff…" he called and watched his Omega's eyes widen in horror.

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ " Potter shouted. The brilliant green light shot out of his wand and hit the Dark Lord square in the chest. A look of stunned surprise crossed the Dark Lord's face as he fell back with a thud. He lay still. It was done. Potter had defeated the Dark Lord.

A wave of magic shot out from the Dark Lord's body. Death Eaters all over the room fell to their knees as the magic in their Dark Marks burned and they were freed at last. The pain from the Dark Mark was nothing compared to the pain in Draco's chest. He felt himself lighten with true and complete freedom, just before the numbness took over.

Draco closed his eyes. He needed his Mate. He needed his Alpha.

His Alpha? His Alpha was dead. Wasn't he? Draco's thoughts burred as he began to lose consciousness.

"Beta! Draco!" Seff shouted as he waved his wand over Draco's chest. "Stay with me." He grabbed potions from Draco's belt and poured a few down Draco's throat.

He closed his eyes again and felt a hand slap his cheek.

"No, stay awake, dammit!" Seff shouted. Draco nodded dimly. He had to stay awake. He had to greet his Mate. His _Alpha?_

 _Alpha_ , hissed through his mind.

 _Reule?_ Draco asked.

 _She's Alpha,_ Reule replied. His voice full of awe and wonder.

 _How?_

 _Very ancient magic,_ he breathed. _It's incredible_.

Draco nodded, too tired to say anything else.

He opened his eyes and let his head fall to the side. His gaze landed on Hermione immediately. She was standing back from him. Lupin and Udolf were on either side of her, looking at her almost worshipfully.

She saw him and gave a little scream before running to him.

"Draco! Are you alright?" She knelt next to him cradling his head.

"I think he's going to live, Alpha. But he needs a Healer," Seff said and bowed his head.

"Go find one," Hermione commanded.

"Mate," Draco muttered into her lap. "Alpha."

Just having her near him helped. Draco closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. Apples, trees full of fall leaves, cinnamon, and home.

"Yes," she stroked his hair and held him close. "Beta."

* * *

"But how is it possible?" Hermione asked Arnou.

"Magic?" Arnou shrugged. "It's not like this 'as 'appened all tha' often, ya know?"

Hermione nodded. Draco frowned. It was illogical, and yet the collective wasn't wrong. Arnou wasn't wrong. When Hermione had killed Greyback, she had become Alpha. Alpha over Draco and the rest of his pack.

"What does it mean?" Hermione asked. She'd asked it at least a dozen times since the final battle. It would take more than three days to become used to her new role and abilities.

"Well you ain't a werewolf, 'at's fer sure," Arnou said. He sniffed at her again, "Although you smell like us, you ain't one."

Hermione nodded. "That's what I don't understand. Women don't become werewolves, and yet, somehow I'm Alpha?"

"If you weren't 'is Mate," Arnou jerked his thumb at Draco, "I don' think it woulda happened. You were already part of us. Already pack, even though you ain't a wolf."

"But just because I held the knife? Why wouldn't it have made him Alpha?"

"Don' know. But it didn't. And he ain't ever gonna be Alpha either. Less he kill you."

Draco shuddered. He tightened his hold on Hermione's hand. They were in Arnou's tent in the dueling court and he had barely let Hermione out of his sight in the last few days.

"I'm happy being Beta," Draco said and lifted Hermione's hand to kiss it.

She smiled at him for a moment, then frowned, "You weren't before."

"Before, we had a psychotic, blood-lusting Alpha," Draco shrugged. Honestly, he didn't care that he wasn't Alpha. He was happy that she was alive. And he was secretly glad that they were tied together in one more way.

Mate, lover, Alpha, his.


	39. Chapter 39 - Epilogue

**A/N: STOP! Have you read chapter 38 yet? I uploaded two chapters tonight. If not, go back and read that one first!**

 **A few people helped with this fic, twztdwildcat - my first ever beta was amazing in helping get this thing into fighting shape the first few chapters, brownlark42 - ya'll have heard me go on and on and on about how amazing she is, but really, I canno** **t say enough nice things about her, and finally Mahawna guest-beta'd a chapter in there, so thank you to her as well!**

 **This is it! A year and change later and this story is done. It's been a wild ride and I've loved every minute of it. Thank you, my readers and reviewers, for sticking with it. Hopefully, you enjoyed it and will check out some of my other works!**

 **I make a manip for every chapter, find me on Tumblr at crochetawayhpff.**

* * *

Draco smiled as he watched the Minister for Magic sign the piece of parchment. It was the law that he and Hermione had been working on for the last fifteen years. Hermione had probably conceived of some version of the law way back in Hogwarts, he was sure. It didn't start becoming a reality until after the war was over. He smirked down at Hermione and wrapped his arm around her waist. He was glad the law was being passed now, rather than later. In a few short weeks, he'd be ascending to the Minister's seat and it would look terribly biased if he passed it while he was Minister.

They were standing on a dais in the middle of the Ministry of Magic's atrium. Hundreds of witches and wizards were witnessing the law being signed. Hermione and Draco's pack and every other pack in the British Isles were also in attendance. Draco couldn't be more proud of his wife for catalyzing the law, advocating for its principles, and ultimately helping to see it to fruition. It might never have happened without her hard work and perseverance.

"Chief Alpha Malfoy?" the Minister asked. Hermione smiled up at Draco and stepped forward.

"Minister Fawley." They shook hands.

"Congratulations Chief Alpha. Werewolves are officially recognized as Beings by the British Ministry of Magic. Signed into law on this day, August 15, 2018, by Minister Fawley. We couldn't have done this without the help and support of the Chief Alpha Malfoy," the Minister stated grandly. The wizards gathered all applauded politely. The werewolves in attendance were much more raucous, clapping and cheering.

"All werewolves wishing to receive wolfsbane on a monthly basis will need to visit the newly created Werewolf Liaison office out of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures on Level 4 for a one-time setup. Werewolves who need a place to turn safely each month, please see the same office for directions and guidance to sanctuaries throughout the country." Minister Fawley grinned widely as he shook Hermione's hand once more. Flashbulbs popped as the various publications took pictures.

Britain would be the first country to offer free wolfsbane for any werewolf who wanted it. No questions asked, no registry taken, nothing needed more than an owl or Floo address. The addition of moonlight sanctuaries and community wilderness areas for running freely with other werewolves was innovative and unheard of. Draco felt his chest swell as he remembered that Hermione had been the one to insist on the sanctuaries. She argued that Wolfsbane was fine and all, but it suppressed too much of the wolf. It was healthier for werewolves to live without wolfsbane if at all possible.

Hermione beamed at the assembled, reserving her special smile just for Draco and their children. It felt good to be recognized as a Being. Other Beings included wizards, of course, goblins, centaurs, house-elves, Hermione had pushed that one through a few years ago, and now werewolves.

"You are all invited back to Malfoy Manor for a celebration. The Floo is open," Hermione told everyone as the ceremony ended.

"I can't believe I'm finally a Being!" Felan shouted to Accalia. Draco reigned Accalia in before she could get lost in the crowd. Accalia was their youngest at four and tended to get lost easily. She was as headstrong as her mother. Felan was six and as easily pretentious as Draco had ever been at that age.

"I'm pleased as well," Draco told Felan with a wink to Bardou. Bardou was their oldest at twelve. He reminded Draco of himself at that age. Trying so hard to be grown up.

Bardou sniffed at his younger brother, "Stop it. Father hasn't been a Being since he was sixteen. And now he's _old_. He's been waiting much longer than you."

"Thanks, Bardou," Draco smiled sardonically and greeted Hermione with a kiss.

"Where's Ulric and Larentia?" Hermione asked, they were the twins and ten. If Accalia had a habit of getting lost, the twins were positive homebodies. They stuck close to Draco or Hermione whenever they were out.

"Right here, mum!" Ulric said, and Draco turned around to see that Harry and Ginny Potter were right behind the twins.

"Can we go home now?" Liekos asked. "I'm hungry."

"Yep, we're all here, let's go," Draco said and began leading his family to the Floor. Liekos was eight and always hungry. Draco and Hermione had a bet whether he'd be Alpha material one day because he towered over the twins and was almost as tall as Bardou. Hermione thought that Liekos was very like his father and would make an excellent Beta, while Draco contended it he was much more likely to become an Alpha.

Draco smirked. It was still an inexplicable twist of fate that Hermione had become Alpha instead of Draco. Not that she didn't deserve it. If Draco was completely honest with himself, and he always endeavored to be so, being Alpha was a lot of work. Their pack had quickly become the largest and most influential pack in the British Isles, and now that she was Chief Alpha over all the packs in Europe, it was even more work.

Not that Draco was opposed to hard work. Becoming Minister wasn't going to be easy, but Draco knew that he was going to be able to do so much good for their world. They had loads of plans for after he took office. Hermione and he both agreed that Hogwarts needed a curriculum overhaul to make it more inclusive to Muggleborns and Beings alike.

The atrium was still packed, but most people made room for his family to easily reach the fireplaces in order to Floo to the Manor. They'd had to set up additional Floo-networked fireplaces at the Manor once the pack moved in full-time. That was another thing Hermione had insisted on. Their previous wizarding tents surrounding the dueling court had been serviceable, but she wanted to treat the pack like the family they were. They would join the household, no excuses or exceptions. And truly, she was right. The Manor still had six guest bedrooms, and each pack member had their own suite. The family wing was still reserved for the Malfoy family, but Draco had changed the wards as soon as they were able to after the war.

As he reached the fireplace, he glanced over his shoulder and did a quick count to make sure all of the children were between him and Hermione. He nodded to her and turned back to the fireplace. He held Accalia tightly as he stepped into the Floo and shouted their destination. With a swirl of green flames, Draco and Accalia arrived in the foyer of Malfoy Manor.

"Grandmama!" Accalia shouted and wiggled down from Draco's grasp, running full tilt for Draco's mother, Narcissa.

"Grandpapa!" Felan shouted coming through the Floo and heading straight for Severus. Severus and Narcissa had never married, but Severus had moved into the Dowager house with Narcissa almost directly after the war.

At the time, Draco had been upset and offended. He'd called Severus out and asked his intentions. Narcissa put a stop to that quickly, scolding Draco for interfering in her life in ways she'd never interfered in his. Draco had to admit she was right and he never said a word about their relationship again. They were still living happily together and Draco's children called Severus Grandpapa. The name made Hermione giggle and bite her almost lip every time.

He smiled as Ulric and Larentia came through the fireplace and immediately changed into their wolf forms. This was one thing that made Draco's family incredibly unique, and it was something that wouldn't have happened if Hermione hadn't become Alpha. His children were all werewolves, but they weren't cursed like he and the rest of the pack were. All other werewolves could only become wolves by the light of the full moon or if they were talented enough to become an Animagus. Draco had achieved it, but Seff, unexpectedly, was the only other member of the pack who had been able to do it. It did take quite a bit of innate magical ability and concentration.

Hermione had practiced with Draco, determined to learn her Animagus form so she could run with the pack during full moons. She was unsurprisingly a wolf. She was a small, sleek wolf with wiry-brown hair and intelligent gold eyes. Draco's wolf form was as enamored with her as his human side was.

"Don't stay like that for too long!" Hermione shouted after the twins. The rest of their children dispersed and Draco took Hermione into his arms.

"Any chance we'll be able to duck out of this party for a few minutes," Draco asked and kissed her neck.

"Not likely, Minister-elect," Hermione grinned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Although, if you're good this afternoon, I'll give you a treat tonight," she whispered into his ear.

Draco shivered and pulled back far enough to plant a kiss on her lips. He would be good, no doubt about that. Hermione's treats were always worth it.


End file.
